Public rights in focus in new environmental debate

The nature in Jämtland County attracts more and more visitors, something that has both positive and negative consequences. And Teres Gärdin, who is the CEO of Jämtland Härjedalen Turism, believes that a discussion is needed about how the increasing tourism industry affects the environment in the area.

During 2022, tourism in Jämtland increased and several new records were set. Jämtland County could count on a figure of around 12.3 million tourist overnight stays during the year, which included both paid guest nights, hotels and campsites, as well as overnight stays in holiday homes, free camping, camping and private visits.

But as tourism increases, so do the tensions between different interests, where a conflict has flared up over the growing tourism’s lack of environmental consideration. Teres Gärdin, who is the CEO of Jämtland Härjedalen Turism, believes that a discussion should be raised about the right to and handling of nature.

-If you only look at our Swedish mountain trails on state land, it is about 550 miles. And if you were to raise it to a maintenance that is at the lowest level, we are talking about maybe 120 million – and then we have only cleared the sly and taken care of what is around. So nature is neglected and we use it in a completely different way than before – we wear on it, says Gärdin.

Should nature be free?

A central question that Gärdin has drawn attention to is whether nature should continue to be available free of charge, something that is guaranteed today by the right of the public. The discussion will thus be about whether it is sustainable for nature to be free and whether a fee for access to nature could contribute to the tourism industry being able to develop more sustainably. But how this can be done without restrictions on public rights, Gärdin believes, is a question for the politicians to solve.

– We have to raise the issue and I am sending this issue further up – to politics at the highest level. Because we have a neglected nature, so we have to do something, says Gärdin.

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Public right – or “public obligation”?

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