In the past, the county administration has delivered firewood and coal to the roughly 30 firewood stores that are located at various nature reserves around the island, but now the replenishment is paused.
The reason is that there is no longer enough money to continue, as the budget this year has been almost halved compared to previous years. That’s what the Gotland County Administrative Board writes in one press release.
Not allowed to cut down trees
– It is of course sad, as we know that our barbecue areas are appreciated, and that many people are happy to use the firewood that we put out, says Olle Karlsson, unit manager for the nature conservation unit at the county government Gotland. He also adds that it is not permitted to cut down trees or the like in the areas when the wood has run out.
Prio in Östergötland
As it stands now, the Östergötland County Administrative Board will continue to sell firewood, but the reduced budget means that they may have to rethink in the future.
Instead, they have had to prioritize other things, including measures against, for example, the spruce bark borer and the fight against invasive species on land, writes Johannes Kullered who is head of unit at the Östergötland County Administrative Board in an email to SVT.
The outdoor promotion has expressed concern about the savings. Hear more in the clip below.