SWEDEN S 29 NATIONAL PARKS A GUIDE TO OUR FINEST LANDSCAPES

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1 SWEDEN S 29 NATIONAL PARKS A GUIDE TO OUR FINEST LANDSCAPES

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3 DISCOVER SWEDEN S NATIONAL PARKS National park is the highest distinction a nature area can receive. Sweden s national parks comprise a magnificent mosaic of different landscape types from the leafy beech forests of Söderåsen to Sarek s grandiose alpine world. From the teeming coral reef of Kosterhavet to the undulating sand dunes of Gotska Sandön and Tiveden s bewitching forests. As early as 1909 Sweden established its first nine national parks, which also were the first in Europe. Now, just over 100 years later, there are 29 of them. They are among the natural endowments most worth protecting, our natural heritage that we and future generations can enjoy and marvel at. Many of the national parks have visitor centres and easy walking trails. You have a standing invitation, at any time year-round. Welcome! The feathers of boreal owls are so soft that they can fly making almost no sound at all. With their acute hearing, they can detect sounds made by a vole and swoop down on it before the creature has a chance to flee. PHOTOGRAPHERS: Claes Grundsten, Magnus Carlsson, Jonas Forsberg, Björn Röhsman, Peter Rosén, Tor Lundberg, Mikael Gustafsson, Tomas Lundälv, Sven Persson, Bertil Pettersson, Martin Borg, Daniel Stenberg, Håkan Sandbring, Henrik Karlsson, Klas-Rune Johansson, Fredrik Mörk, Jörgen Wiklund, Sven Persson, Michael Engman.

4 WHY DO WE NEED NATIONAL PARKS? National parks are small fragments of the nature that once covered all of Sweden, and that makes them worthy of protection. They safeguard the diversity of ecosystems and give visitors an opportunity to enjoy natural surroundings and relax in them. They represent the most valuable nature in Sweden. 1,6% 10% SWEDEN S PROTECTED NATURE 1.6 per cent of Sweden s area has the strongest protected status, national park. Around 10 per cent of Sweden s area is protected in another way. National park Nature reserve/other protected areas Unprotected nature NATIONAL PARKS AROUND THE WORLD

5 Capercaillies thrive in old pine forests with carpets of bilberry sprigs. That is just the kind of environment to be found in national parks and nature reserves in northern Sweden, but also in Tyresta National Park, for example. The young eat larvae in the bilberry springs to begin with. Adult birds eat bilberries, hare s-tail cottongrass, small leaves and buds. The capercaillie prefers to spend winters in the pines, where it eats pine needles. It ingests small stones in order to digest the hard needles. BILBERRY SPRIGS WAND PINE FOREST THE CAPERCAILLIE S PANTRY THE WORLD S FINEST The Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos Islands and Skuleskogen all are national parks. They are exquisite gems to which people travel to experience exceptional and magnificent nature. There are more than 4,000 national parks around the world, covering over two per cent of all land area. Several of them encompass stunning natural phenomena. Many teem with life and a gene bank that can be invaluable for our future. All merit a visit.

6 EVERYTHING IS JUST WAITING TO BE EXPERIENCED You can explore national parks on foot, on skis, in some cases by boat and in others with a snorkel. You can experience magnificent views and picturesque nature. Silence and stars on a clear night. Most national parks have entrances where you will find orientation boards with maps and information about attractions and parking places. Naturum, staffed visitor information centres, are located next to several national parks. They have exhibits and sometimes cafés and guides. Opening hours vary. Almost all national parks have marked trails of varying lengths that take you to places worth seeing. You can hike on established trails or on your own. Canoes are a good mode of transportation in many parks; bicycles and skis in others. The majority of national parks are a delight for plant lovers and bird-watchers when visiting during the right time of year. With a little luck, you can spot elk, bears, otters or other favourite animals. In some national parks you may bring along your dog on a leash. But in others dogs can disturb birds,other wildlife or reindeer breeding and are not welcome. Every national park has special rules that you can find on information boards on site or on the Web. The Right of Public Access does not fully apply in national parks. You can find collected information on all national parks at Nationalparksofsweden.se

7 = Services = Aids = Trails *Stora Sjöfallet /Stuor Muorkke **Padjelanta /Badjelánnda Naturum Café Restaurant Exhibition Caravan parking Cabins Wind shelter Campsite Groceries Trail Sound trail/audio guide Pram/buggy trail Wheelchair acessible trail Abisko Stora Sjöfallet* Sarek Pieljekaise Sonfjället Hamra Ängsö Garphyttan Gotska Sandön Dalby Söderskog Vadvetjåkka Blå Jungfrun Norra Kvill Töfsingdalen Muddus/Muttos Padjelanta** Store Mosse Tiveden Skuleskogen Stenshuvud Björnlandet Djurö Tyresta Haparanda skärgård Tresticklan Färnebofjärden Söderåsen Fulufjället Kosterhavet

8 OUR NATURAL HABITATS MOUNTAINS About 90 percent of the national parks combined surface area is in mountainous regions. Here you can hike from mountain birch forests or ancient coniferous forests across windswept heaths and up onto glistening glaciers. LAKES AND WATERCOURSES Sweden has one of the greatest concentrations of lakes in the world. Almost one-tenth of its surface consists of lakes. Sparkling fresh water environments are present in most national parks. COAST AND SEA The national parks along the coast offer great contrasts: Skuleskogen s uplifted coast, the sandbanks of the Haparanda archipelago and Kosterhavet s briny rocks and rare submerged life. BROAD-LEAVED DECIDUOUS FOREST Forests of beech, ash, oak and elm trees cover less than one percent of Sweden. The light-filled, leafy spaces teem with life, including many rare animals and plants. These forests can be found in Söderåsen, Dalby Söderskog and Ängsö. WETLAND About one-fifth of Sweden s surface is covered by wetlands such as bogs, fens and marshes. They are vital for many birds, like the Eurasian curlew whose whistling sends vibrations through summer evenings. CONIFEROUS FOREST The dark green cover of forests of pine and spruce dominates Sweden s nature, including the large national parks outside the mountainous areas. In Tyresta and Muddus/Muttos, you can see traces of forest fires that once left their stamp on the landscape.

9 The glacier crowfoot often blooms right at the edge of glaciers. It has the Swedish altitude record for flowers, at 2,055 metres on Mount Kebnekaise. The entrance to a beaver lodge lies beneath the water s surface. The beaver gnaws down trees to get building material for the lodge. It eats bark, but also leaves herbs and aquatic plants.

10 The long-horn beetle is one of at least seven beetles to be found only on Gotska Sandön in the entire Nordic region. The Eurasian golden oriole has bright yellow plumage, but it is hard to spot because it lives in dense deciduous forests. On the other hand, you may hear its flute-like song.

11 The butterwort is one of Sweden s carnivorous plants. With its sticky leaves, it catches insects, which it then slowly digests in order to survive in the nutrient-poor marshes. Fallen dead trees are food for many species in the old-growth forest.

12 NATIONAL PARKS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE In 1909 Sweden became the first European country to establish national parks. Then, as now, the idea was to preserve pristine nature for present and future generations, but also to make national parks inviting for tourism and outdoor activities. Previously national parks were created, in part, on the basis of romantic ideals about nature. Now selection is based on international, scientific criteria for what nature merits protection and interesting attractions. One difference from before is size. New national parks are to be large, untouched areas that showcase a typical Swedish landscape. In most national parks, nature is allowed to take care of itself. In a few grazing animals keep the land from becoming overgrown, and meadows are mowed to preserve the old cultural landscape. The land in national parks is owned by the state. The government and Parliament make decisions about establishing new national parks. The selection and preparations are handled by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency together with county administrative boards and other local parties. It is important for local residents to participate in efforts to form new national parks. They are a legacy we have in common that should be taken care of in the best possible way for us and future generations. THE GOLD STAR is the symbol for Sweden s national parks. It indicates that the parks represent the finest and most remarkable examples of Swedish nature.

13 TIPS BEFORE YOU VENTURE OUT Walking along the paths in a national park for a few hours usually does not require special equipment other than comfortable shoes and clothes that provide sufficient warmth. Step outside and make yourself at home. If you want to be sure of choosing the right clothing, check the weather forecast before you leave at or If you are going to visit a national park in the mountains, it pays to be more prepared. Information about equipment, avalanche risk and other considerations is available at SMALL THINGS FOR A BIGGER EXPERIENCE In each park you will find information about the things worth seeing there. If you want to see more, bring along flora, a birdguide and binoculars. Those planning to visit an old-growth forest in the north might bring along a little extra food for the Siberian jay. They prefer a bit of sausage or bread and offer their chattering company as thanks. In many national parks, there are established fire places where it is okay to grill food as long as the lighting of fires is not prohibited.

14 E45 Anyone who gets to see a snowy owl can count themselves lucky. Their numbers in Sweden vary from zero to twenty, depending on the number of lemmings and voles. 1. Abisko is probably Sweden s sunniest national park, with rich flora and a canyon filled with rushing water. 11. Vadvetjåkka s southernmost section consists of a large delta with abundant wildlife. Sarek, Padjelanta/Badjelánnda, Stora Sjöfallet/ Stuor Muorkke and Muddus/Muttos are included in the Laponia World Heritage Site. Badjelánnda, Stuor Muorkke and Muttos are the Samee names. An oldgrowth forest has trees of all ages. Two thousand threatened species of both plants and animals need old forests to survive. E10 Kiruna Gällivare Porjus E10 Arctic Circle Jokkmokk E45 The whooper swan was protected in 1926, when there were only a few pairs left in the north. They are now found throughout the country. Arjeplog 3. Sarek is really Sweden s highlands, with six peaks over 2000 metres. Stortoppen, at 2089 m, is the highest. Reindeer thrive in the mountains and cope wonderfully with the cold. 16. Padjelanta is Sweden s most remote place, with a pole of inaccessibility that is 47 km from the nearest road. Arvidsjaur Haparanda Luleå E12 The lemming is found throughout the Swedish mountains. E4 Fredrika 92 Umeå 21. Bears avoid people, but you can see traces such as a torn ant hill, scratch marks on a tree, or large droppings. E45 Åre Örnsköldsvik 5. With a bit of luck, you can see bears looking for crowberries on the slopes of Sonfjället. Östersund 84 E Njupeskär, at 93 metres, is Sweden s tallest waterfall and is found in Fulufjället National Park. 19. From the vantage point at Slåttdalsberget you have a magnificent view of the High Coast. The national park lies inside the High Coast World Heritage Site. Sundsvall 4. PIELJEKAISE 19. SKULESKOGEN Vast mountain birch forests are characteristic of this national park, as well as meadows full of yellow globeflowers that greet visitors in June. This park has Sweden s highest stretch of coastline with magnificent views and the world s greatest postglacial land uplift. Methuselah s beard, a rare form of lichen that looks like Christmas tree tinsel, grows in the old-growth spruce forests. 7. ÄNGSÖ Gävle 18. The mosscovered rocks and boulders mean there is a magical atmosphere in Tiveden Try Kosterhavet s snorkel trails. Swim along ropes at the bottom of the sea and find signs that tell about animals and plants beneath the surface. E4 Sala E45 Uppsala 7. Dactylorhiza latifolia (L.) Soó is one of the orchids that grow at Ängsö in the spring. E18 E18, E20 E18 Stockholm Örebro Bengtsfors Laxå The capercaillie display is one of nature s marvels. E4 Mariestad E6 E20 34 The harbour seal can be seen on the west coast. This is where it is most common. On this idyllic island of meadows, you can enjoy flowering cowslips and orchids. Ängsö is a landscape of grazing animals and hay-making, but it also has wild, old-growth forest. 8. GARPHYTTAN This national park with flowering meadows and deciduous forests is located in the dark, coniferous forests of Kilsbergen. Here woodpeckers of the old-growth forest meet the songbirds of the agricultural countryside. 9. GOTSKA SANDÖN An exceptionally beautiful island with sandy beaches extending for miles and dense, sunny pine forests. Take the tour boat to this island, which has fascinated visitors for centuries. 33 Göteborg The famous crane dance is easiest to see in the spring. Vimmerby Oskarshamn Sweden s northernmost national park. True wilderness with some of the country s deepest caves. 12. BLÅ JUNGFRUN Bewitching old-growth forest with tall coniferous trees, quiet tarns and mossy boulders. E22 Malmö Simrishamn E Ethereal greenery in Dalby Söderskog in the spring. In summer the forest is transformed into a shady colonnade. 14. TÖFSINGDALEN 12. It is said that anyone who steals a stone from Blå Jungfrun will meet with bad luck. Hundreds of stones are returned to the island every year. Ystad 27. From Söderåsen s vantage points, you look out over leafy beech forests, deep ravines and glittering waterways. 17. Store mosse is southern Sweden s biggest marsh. It has a very rich birdlife. A place where you will quickly get a sense of how nature looked before people left their mark on it through forestry. The nature resembles that which Carl Linnaeus saw during his Lapland trip more than 250 years ago. 22. DJURÖ An archipelago landscape in Vänern, Western Europe s largest lake. Giant pine tree roots wriggle across the rocky ground in search of soil and moisture. Excellent smooth rocks from which to watch birds. 23. TYRESTA Just 20 kilometres from the centre of Stockholm, you can enjoy the silence of an old-growth forest, great walks and mushroom picking. 24. HAPARANDA SKÄRGÅRD A sunny and sandy island world with beaches having shallow water for a long way out. Their location makes the islands a favourite among migrating birds, kayakers and hikers. In this roadless wilderness you can walk long distances and enjoy panoramic views. The pine-clad mountain ridges seem endless, and you keep encountering new small lakes and bogs. 13. NORRA KVILL Ljungbyhed 21. BJÖRNLANDET 25. TRESTICKLAN E6, E20 E4 This seaside national park in Skåne s Österlen region unites coastal mountains, broadleaf forests, heaths and beautiful beaches. This broadleaf grove nestles on the Skåne plain like a lush, inviting oasis. In spring few places can compete with Dalby Söderskog for magnificent floral displays and birdsong. A remarkable island of red granite, with flat rocks, caves, broadleaf forests and fantastic sea views, rises from the middle of the Kalmar Strait. Värnamo 20. STENSHUVUD 10. DALBY SÖDERSKOG 11. VADVETJÅKKA 9. Despite Gotska Sandön s location far out at sea, many beetles have found their way here. Some species exist nowhere else. Our largest bog area south of Lapland is in the Småland highlands. From bird observation towers you gaze out across the open spaces and maybe hear the golden plover. Imposing boulders, the softest mosses and clear lakes surround paths that have been used from time immemorial. Extensive swamps, virgin forests and the winding Svartån river form an exceptionally cohesive sense of nature that invites visitors to engage in hiking and outdoor activities. 6. In Hamra you can be photographed in front of the country s first national park marker. 17. STORE MOSSE 18. TIVEDEN 6. HAMRA 6. The wood sandpiper lives in raised marshes and deciduous forests close to the mountains, including in Hamra. Stretching out across this roadless land are large, crystal-clear lakes as well as mountain meadows and heaths where reindeer graze. Unusual species such as the arctic fox and snowy owl. Sarek offers Sweden s most dramatic natural landscape, with jagged mountains, massive glaciers and rushing streams. Sonfjället mountain rears above the surrounding old-growth forest. In 1909 it was one of the bear s last footholds in Sweden, and nowadays there are plenty of bears. Sveg 16. PADJELANTA / BADJELÁNNDA 3. SAREK 5. SONFJÄLLET Särna Strömstad Step off the train and straight into a flowering alpine world in one of Sweden s sunniest places. In winter Abisko is one of the best places in the world to watch the northern lights. This national park was established in 1909 to preserve a great waterfall. Even though the waterfall no longer exists, Mount Akka makes a powerful impression, with its peaks, glaciers and beautiful primeval pine forests. Skellefteå Åsele 1. ABISKO 2. STORA SJÖFALLET / STUOR MUORKKE 95 Storuman WELCOME TO SWEDEN S NATIONAL PARKS 26. FÄRNEBOFJÄRDEN A unique riverscape along the lower Dalälven river with more than 200 islands and islets. The easiest way to explore this broadleaf forest kingdom of the spotted woodpecker and owl is on skis or by canoe. 27. SÖDERÅSEN Great heights, beautiful beech forests and dramatic ravines. Odensjön is a small, round lake in a bowl-shaped depression in Söderåsen. 28. FULUFJÄLLET A mysterious valley with old-growth coniferous forests, boulder-strewn slopes, rushing streams and glittering, small tarns. This is where the primeval forest meets the mountain, which glows with thick, white mats of lichen, since this is Sweden s only large mountain where no reindeer graze. 15. MUDDUS / MUTTOS 29. KOSTERHAVET A land of large swamps and oldgrowth forests. Explore true primeval forest, the wild Muddus falls and huge bogs echoing with the call of the whooper swans. Sweden s only coral reef is in the country s first marine national park. Here you can enjoy marine nature where the most abundant life is to be found beneath the surface.

15 ALL NATIONAL PARKS 1. ABISKO 2. STORA SJÖFALLET/ STUOR MUORKKE 3. SAREK 4. PIELJEKAISE 5. SONFJÄLLET 6. HAMRA 7. ÄNGSÖ 8. GARPHYTTAN 9. GOTSKA SANDÖN 10. DALBY SÖDERSKOG 11. VADVETJÅKKA 12. BLÅ JUNGFRUN 13. NORRA KVILL 14. TÖFSINGDALEN 15. MUDDUS / MUTTOS 16. PADJELANTA/ BADJELÁNNDA 17. STORE MOSSE 18. TIVEDEN 19. SKULESKOGEN 20. STENSHUVUD 21. BJÖRNLANDET 22. DJURÖ 23. TYRESTA 24. HAPARANDA SKÄRGÅRD 25. TRESTICKLAN 26. FÄRNEBOFJÄRDEN 27. SÖDERÅSEN 28. FULUFJÄLLET 29. KOSTERHAVET For information about Sweden s national parks #nationalparksofsweden LISTEN TO THE BROCHURE , ex, Åtta.45 Tryckeri AB, ISBN: Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Responsible for Sweden s National Parks Swedishepa.se