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Clearcut tourism : a framework for a forest regeneration initiative based on sustainable forestry and public participation involvement
Get PDFSwedish forestry (and forestry in general) is a long-term investment that should last through
generations. Some generations are only putting in the money to take care of it and not seeing
much profit. Sometimes there is a point, where an individual landowner decides, it is time to
get at least some income by clearcutting the forest. The state and other marketing systems
convince landowners that clearcutting is the only economic harvesting method (Swedish Forest
Industries, 2022), whereas the wood from a young and severely thinned forest will never be
equal to the quality of wood that an older tree can provide which has been chosen carefully to
be felled.
Clear-felled forests create enormous scars in the landscape, leave animals without shelter by
separating them from their habitats, and the carbon that has been tied down in the forest’s
carbon sink gets emitted to the atmosphere, pushing us ever so closer, little by little, to a
drastically changed climate that is not suitable for us nor most species on Earth. To create a
positive change, we must depend on individuals, such as forest owners and their willingness to
protect nature as best they can by using their resources.
This master’s thesis explores the possibility to create changes that all matter in protecting our
natural values. The thesis offers a framework for landowners to change their ways of forestry
in order to gain income from sustainably controlled tourism by letting tourists help regenerate
forests on a heavily thinned or clearcut area without creating a nature reserve, thus being able
to practice forestry in a more environmentally friendly manner. Some landowners buy the land
already bare, and some just want to change their ways of harvesting.
Allowing tourists to plant the forest themselves will automatically create a connection between
them and the land, which is often missing in our forever rushing and digital world. This
prospect is briefly explored in this work through literature study and results from
questionnaires. By letting the public plant the land, the landowner not only receives labour
from them, but through the experience, they get environmental education that can only come
from first-hand knowledge.
The result of the thesis will present comparisons between potential changes in the landscape,
should this framework be realised
Climate impact of ultra-processed foods in the Swedish diet
Get PDFThe climate impact associated with food consumption is large. The size of the impact depend on the type of food and how it is produced. Food systems are currently changing and urbanization and increased affluence of consumers have led to an overall increase in food consumption and a rise in consumption of processed foods globally.
In this thesis, the climate impact of the Swedish diet was analysed, based on type of food and degree of processing. The NOVA framework was used to classify food groups into unprocessed or minimally processed foods, culinary ingredients, processed foods or ultra-processed foods (UPF). National statistics on food consumption was combined with a dataset with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with foods, based on life-cycle assessment of foods on the Swedish market. For a comparison of Swedish data to other settings, a literature search was done to capture studies on UPF and environmental impacts.
Our analysis show that the largest contribution of GHG emissions from the Swedish diet comes from foods categorised as unprocessed or minimally processed. The food groups that contributed most to climate impact were ‘Meat&Eggs’ and ‘Dairy’ in unprocessed or minimally processed foods and ‘Meat&Eggs’ and ‘Discretionary foods ’ in UPF.
A literature search rendered six papers relating climate impact to the degree of food processing based on the NOVA classification. In one paper, there was a higher climate impact of a diet higher in UPF than a diet higher in less processed foods, while two other papers found no association of degree of processing and climate impact of the diet. Also in the food-based analyses, results were inconsistent on the role of UPF on climate impact. The study results reflect the climate impact associated with the dietary pattern of the studied populations. Some of the differences between studies may also be due to methodology, as the authors used different ways to control for energy intake.
Our conclusion is that the least processed foods contribute more to the climate impact of the Swedish diet than the foods categorised as UPF. The NOVA classification is not well aligned with a food science view of what food processing is and not suitable for analysis of climate impact of diets. More information on the energy use in different food processing steps is crucial for investigating and reducing the climate impact of food processing
The Social Sustainability of Digital Information Services in Sub-Saharan Africa : a Social Practice Perspective on Smallholder Farmers’ Use of Mobile Phone-Enabled Services for Agricultural Development in Kenya
Get PDFNowadays, mobile phone-enabled services are reaching the rural poor farmer in Sub-Saharan Africa
(SSA) with digital information for agricultural development. These digital services consist of access
to social networks and customised information that are expected to enhance farm management due
to knowledge exchange and learning. This thesis aimed to analyse the farmers’ use of digital services
and discuss its implications for social sustainability in agriculture by looking at how digital
information merges, coexists or competes with other bodies of local knowledge. The analysis was
based on participant observation with eleven farmers that use iShamba, a digital platform providing
agricultural information services to smallholder farmers in rural Kenya. A social practice
perspective implies that digital information must consider the contextual realities of farmers in terms
of material, competence and meaning. Considering that access to inputs is constrained in the context
of the study, this thesis suggests that digital services could contribute to social sustainability by
promoting biological-based innovations that are locally applicable in terms of the materials available
to farmers. Moreover, digital services could complement their service with field advisory visits or
training courses, where the role of human intermediation appeared to be fundamental. Social
sustainability in agriculture is that associated with the generation of knowledge and meaning that
legitimises a particular model of agricultural development. This thesis found that digital services
increase the diversity of knowledge by offering several options to farmers which contributes to
social sustainability in agriculture. However, digital services do not encourage innovation, directing
research toward attending to the demands of poor rural farmers but rather provide farmers with the
available innovations. Additionally, a key point is the potential of digital services to co-construct
the meaning associated with agricultural development. But since digital information integrates
diverse trajectories of agricultural development, social sustainability requires that the institutional
arrangement promote and support models of sustainable agriculture at the landscape leve
For the camera: In a wild range of forages, what do you choose to eat, my deer?
Get PDFAnimal-borne video collars are a developing technology with increasing picture quality and battery length. This study has investigated its use when studying foraging behaviours of the two largest deer species on the Scandinavian peninsula: moose (Alces alces) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). In the first of two studies included in this thesis, I compared the foraging choice of moose and red deer on both the inter- and intraspecific level. The data were collected from short, spread-out recordings (20 seconds every third hour per 24 hours over a period of several months). The second study, with a near-continuous recording (25 seconds every 3 minutes during 24 hours for a period of five days in July) focuses on the moose’ selection for browse on the island of Vega, Norway. I have also compared the foraging frequency of browsers (the Vega moose) with that of grazers (dairy cows, using published data). An overall question throughout the projects has been whether video collars are a technology suitable for foraging studies of deer species and to what taxonomic resolution the cameras are able to capture the plant species. Study one was successful in showing that the camera collars are capable of showing that moose are browsers, with a low percentage of graminoids in their diet. It also managed to capture the difference in foraging choice of both moose and red deer, as well as the low diet overlap between the species during the summer months. Study two showed the moose’ clear selection for browse even during the summer, despite the rather low abundance of browse compared to non-browse in their home range. It also showed that browsers indeed have more foraging bouts (6) per 24 hours than grazers (3). The overall conclusion is that video collars are indeed suitable for studying foraging behaviour in deer and that even the short recordings are able to show intraspecific differences – at least when it comes to common behaviour. Near-continuous recording is, however, more useful for capturing individual differences, both when it comes to foraging choices, foraging frequency and level of socialising behaviour
Park i stadens kuperade natur
Get PDFI samband med att Stockholm förtätas och ytorna för traditionella parker i dalarna minskar kan relevansen öka i att utveckla stadens många utsparade kuperade naturmarker till mer funktionella rekreativa grönområden. En typ av park som även kan ha potential att bidra med höga upplevelsevärden. Stockholm har också, framförallt historiskt, utvecklat flera så kallade bergsparker i svårbyggd terräng. Dagens förhållanden och ideal ställer dock högre krav kring tillgänglighet och värnande av naturen. Detta arbete syftar till att undersöka möjligheterna och utmaningarna med att utveckla nya parker i städers utsparade kuperade natur och ställer sig frågan hur dessa parker kan gestaltas för att stärka upplevelsevärden och aktiviteter samt på ett adekvat sätt bemöta dagens krav kring tillgänglighet och värnande av naturen.
Frågan har undersökts genom att ta fram ett gestaltningsförslag för Talludden som ligger i Stora Sköndal i södra Stockholm. Platsen är representativ för problemet utifrån sin topografi, sina höga upplevelse- och naturvärden, att det i området finns ovanligt höga behov av tillgängliga utemiljöer samt att det i Stora Sköndal planeras för en storskalig stadsutveckling.
Metoderna som har använts under gestaltningsarbetet är en litteraturgenomgång av relevant teori och planhandlingarna för Stora Sköndals stadsutveckling, inventering och analys av Talludden, undersökning av referensexempel samt olika former av skissarbete.
Det gestaltade resultatet är en, till hög grad tillgänglig, park med utvecklade stråk som leder till olika vistelseytor samt sparar naturens vegetation och terrängformer. Upplevelsemässigt syftar gestaltningen särskilt till att ta vara på rörelsen genom landskapet och naturliga platsbildningar vilket är två aspekter som starkt påverkas av topografin och dess förmåga att skapa bland annat upplevda landskapsrum och visuella sekvenser mellan dessa, utblickar, tysta områden samt skyddade visten. I gestaltningen har särskild uppmärksamhet riktats mot flera av Talluddens upplevda krön eftersom gestaltade tillägg vid dessa har potential att fylla många syften. Krönen har nämligen identifierats som trivsamma platser med god överblick, platser som är väl synliga utifrån och därmed kan bilda karaktärsgivande fokuspunkter, platser som skapar naturliga tröskeleffekter samt platser som utgör stora hinder för tillskapandet av tillgängliga stråk.
I diskussionen lyfts bland annat hur föreslagna tillgänglighetsåtgärder på Talludden kan tänkas vara beroende av hur mycket som är rimligt att satsa rent ekonomiskt. Ett av argumenten för att de ekonomiska incitamenten kan anses öka i samband med den fortgående stadsutvecklingen är att den kuperade naturmarken erbjuder aktiviteter och upplevelser som har potential att komplettera, och till viss grad kompensera, parken i dalen. En rimlig utgångspunkt kan också vara att alltid vidta de åtgärder som krävs för att värna naturen och samtidigt se till att åtminstone vissa parker i stadens kuperade natur har en högre grad av tillgänglighet. Talludden kan anses ha god potential att utvecklas till ett sådant tillgängligt utflyktsmål.The room for traditional parks in the valleys of the landscape are decreasing in Stockholm as an effect of ongoing urban densification. This may increase the relevance in developing the city’s many unbuilt hilly forests into more functional recreational green areas. A type of park that, in addition, could contribute with several experiential values. In the past, Stockholm has also developed so-called mountain parks in terrain that is difficult to build on. However, today’s conditions and ideals place higher demands on nature preservation and accessibility which leads to new challenges linked to how this type of park can be designed in the future. The aim of this thesis is to investigate challenges and opportunities of creating new parks in unbuilt parts of hilly urban nature. The research question asked is: how can parks in the hilly nature of cities be designed to strengthen experiential values and activities as well as adequately respond to requirements regarding accessibility and nature preservation?
The research question has been investigated by carrying out a real-world design for Talludden in Stora Sköndal in the southern parts of Stockholm. This place is representative of the problem picture based on its topography, its high experiential and natural values, the fact that there is an unusually high need for accessible outdoor environments in the area and that a large-scale urban development is planned in Stora Sköndal.
The methods used during the design work are a literature review of relevant theory and the planning documents for Stora Sköndal's urban development, inventories and analyzes of Talludden, studies of reference projects and various forms of sketch work.
The resulting design forms a highly accessible park with developed paths that lead to different spots and preserves vegetation and landforms. In terms of experience values, the design particularly aims to highlight the movement through the landscape and natural place formations, which are two aspects that are strongly influenced by the topography and its ability to create perceived landscape spaces and visual sequences between these, views, quiet areas and sheltered places. Special attention has also been directed to several of Talludden's crests because built additions on these have the potential to fulfil many purposes. The crests have been identified as pleasant places with a good overview, places that are well visible from the outside and can thus form character-giving focal points, places that create natural threshold effects and places that constitute major obstacles to the creation of accessible paths.
The discussion highlights, among other things, how accessibility interventions at Talludden could conceivably be dependent on how much it is reasonable to invest in purely financial terms. One of the arguments that can be considered to increase the economic incentives for such an investment is that the hilly nature offers activities and experiences that have the potential to complement, and to some extent compensate, the park in the valley. A reasonable starting point can also be to always carry out the necessary measures to protect valuable nature and at the same time ensure that at least some parks in the city’s hilly nature have a higher degree of accessibility. Talludden could have the potential to develop into such an accessible target point
Aktion som verktyg i det offentliga rummet
Get PDFEtt implementerande av aktionsforskningens metoder som verktyg för landskapsarkitekters och
konstnärers gemensamma projekt och arbetsprocesser skulle kunna vara en väg för disciplinerna att
skapa ett fungerande samarbete. Genom aktionsforskningens cykliska process finns utrymme för att
skapa förändring och lösa problematik i samhället relaterat till vardera disciplins kunskapsbank och
det genom aktion i det offentliga rummet.
Slutsatserna dras utifrån en litteraturstudie. Aktionsforskning, det offentliga rummet, och en kort
historisk tillbaka blick inom konsten undersöks. Två temporära konstprojekt och två temporära
landskapsarkitektprojekt studeras också.
Drivkraften i aktionsforskningen är att förbättra och skapa förändring, det kan ske inom olika
verksamheter och på olika platser. Det offentliga rummet är en plats som både landskapsarkitekter
och konstnärer arbetar med. Platsen är i sig en plats för demokrati och yttrandefrihet och att bedriva
aktion där för att insamla information och nå ut med sitt budskap till allmänhet och beslutsfattare
borde vara passande.The implementation of the methods of action research as tools for landscape architects and artists
joint projects and working processes could be a way for the disciplines to create a functioning
collaboration. Through the cyclical process of action research, there might be room for creating
change together and solving problems in society related to each discipline's bank of knowledge and
trough actions in public space.
The conclusions are based on a literature study. Action research, the public space, and a brief
backstory on the history of art is investigated. Two temporary art projects and two temporary
landscape architect projects are also studied.
The driving force in action research is to improve and create change, this can happen within
different practicians and in different places. The public space is a place that both landscape architects
and artists work with. The place itself is a place of democracy and the freedom of speech. To conduct
action in the public space to gather information and reach out with your message to the public and
decision makers could be suitable
Transform from run-off water to bathing water : a design proposal for a swimming pond in Gränbyparken with natural purification
Get PDFAtt rena och fördröja dagvatten sker i allt högre grad lokalt. Då dagvattenanläggningarna kommer närmare inpå den bebyggda miljön och i kontakt med stadens invånare, får landskapsarkitekten en viktig roll, genom att utforma öppna dagvattenlösningar. Kraven ställs på dagvattenhanteringen, att utöver sin primära uppgift som är att rena och fördröja dagvatten, även bidra med andra värden. I detta arbete undersöks hur en dagvattenanläggning i Gränbyparken i Uppsala kan utformas för att användas som en naturlig baddamm. En bad damm är en konstgjord damm som inte har kontakt med grundvattnet, reningen sker fysiskt och biologiskt med hjälp av växter och filtration. Det ställs höga krav på vattenkvalitén för att vattnet ska bli badbart samt att utformningen av dammen går samman med miljön som finns på platsen idag.
Ett avrinningsområde lokaliseras där dagvatten leds via ett reningssteg av ett svackdike och ett biofilter innan vattnet når en nedre damm, vilken fungerar som ett vattenmagasin. Baddammen ligger högre i landskapet och det blir då möjligt att pumpa upp renat dagvatten från den nedre dammen till baddammen när avdunstningen är större än nederbörden.
Baddammen har intern reningen där vatten pumpas runt med hjälp av pumpar genom substratfilter och växtzoner. Reningssystemets främsta uppgift är att avlägsna bakterier och näringsämnen. Bakterier fastnar i biofilmen som uppstår i substratfiltret, där mikroorganismer förbrukar bakterierna. Fosfor anses vara det näringsämne som gynnar algtillväxten. Att aktivt jobba med växter för att reducera fosforhalten i baddammen genererar ett klart, algfritt vatten. Dagvatten kan ha, beroende på aktiviteten i avrinningsområdet, hög fosforhalt, som behöver minimeras. Utöver fosfor innehåller dagvatten fler ämnen som är oönskade i en baddamm då de kan vara hälsofrämjande. Vidare undersökningar krävs för att säkerställa att dessa föroreningar kan avlägsnas med hjälp av de reningssystem som används i utformningen av baddammen och dagvattenhanteringen i Gränbyparken.Purifying and delaying run-off water occurs more often locally. As the run-off water facilities get closer into the built environment and in contact with the city residents, the landscape architect gets an important role, through designing open run-off water solutions. The requirements for the run-off management, that in addition to its primary task, which is to clean and delay run-off water, also contribute other values. In this work, it is investigated how a run-off water treatment facility in Gränbyparken in Uppsala can be designed to be used as a natural swimming pond. A swimming pond is an artificial pond that does not have contact with the groundwater, and the water gets purified physically and biologically by using plants and filtration systems. High demands are set to the water quality to make the water safe for swimming, as well, that the design of the pond fits into the environment in the park.
A catchment area for the run-off water is located where the run-off water is collected and then purified through a sloped ditch and a biofilter before the water reaches a lower pond, which acts as a reservoir. The swimming pond is located higher in the landscape, which makes it possible to pump up purified run-off water from the lower pond to the swimming pond when evaporation is greater than the precipitation.
The swimming pond has in-situ purification too, where water is pumped through regeneration zones with substrate filters and plants. The main task of the purification system is to remove bacteria and nutrients. Bacteria get stuck in the biofilm that occurs in the substrate filter, where microorganisms consume the bacteria. Phosphorus is considered to be the main nutrient that favours algae growth. To work with plants to reduce the phosphorus content in the swimming pool generates clear, algae-free water. Run-off water has, depending on the activity in the catchment area, high phosphorus level that needs to be minimized. In addition to phosphorus run-off water contains more substances that are undesirable in a swimming pool, as they can be harmful for the health. Further investigation requires to ensure that these pollutants can be removed using the purification systems that is used in the swimming pond and the run-off water treatment in Gränbyparken
Wind power in Tönsen : a study on local acceptance of wind power
Get PDFSyftet med denna studie är att undersöka invånares och politikers samt tjänstepersoners syn på befintlig vindkraft i Bollnäs kommun. Studien syftar också till att bidra med förståelse för vilka utmaningar som finns med fortsatt utbyggnad av vindkraft, och hur acceptans för vindkraft kan förbättras. Vid genomförandet av denna uppsats valdes en kvalitativ ansats varpå intervjuer genomfördes med lokalbor, tjänstepersoner och kommunpolitiker i Bollnäs kommun. Det insamlade materialet analyserades därefter med hjälp av begreppen energirättvisa och platstillhörighet. Argument som förekom var bland annat att vindkraftparken i Tönsen, Bollnäs kommun, bidrar med miljövänlig energi och till viss utveckling av lokalsamhället. Annat som lyftes fram av vissa intervjupersoner, var att vind-kraften inneburit ett stort intrång i naturen och att mer energiproduktion borde byggas ut i södra Sverige. Detta då mycket energiproduktion redan ansågs finnas i norra Sverige. Därutöver uttryckte flera av de intervjuade viss oro över att ett statligt kinesiskt bolag står som huvudägare till vindkraft-parken. Negativa synsätt var i större grad kopplade till fysisk platstillhörighet medan positiva synsätt var mer kopplade till social platstillhörighet. Rättviseaspekter och låg tillit gentemot ägandeskapet av vindkraftparken föreföll ha viss betydelse för personers inställning, men inte avgörande betydelse. Bland politiker, tjänstepersoner och lokalbor fanns det i viss mån en samsyn om att kompensationen borde vara större för vindkraftsparken. Flera av de intervjuade ansåg att fastighetsskatten borde gå till berörda kommuner. Fastighetsskatt ansågs också vara något som överlag skulle kunna bidra till ökad acceptans för vindkraft bland kommuner.The purpose of this study is to investigate the views of local residents, politicians and civil servants on existing wind power in Bollnäs municipality. The study also aims to contribute with an understanding of the challenges that exist with the continued expansion of wind power and how ac-ceptance of wind power can be improved. To carry out this study a qualitative approach was chosen. Then interviews were conducted with local residents, civil servants and politicians in Bollnäs municipality. The collected material was then analyzed using the concepts of energy justice and place attachment. Some of the arguments that appeared was that the wind farm in Tönsen, Bollnäs munic-ipality produces environmentally friendly energy. The wind farm was also considered to contribute to some development of the local community. For some of the participants the wind farm meant a large intrusion into nature and that more energy production should be expanded in southern Sweden, since much energy production already is located in northern Sweden. In addition, several of the interviewees expressed some concern that a state-owned Chinese company is the main owner of the wind farm in Tönsen. Negative attitudes were to a greater extent linked to physical place attachment while positive attitudes were more linked to social place attachment. Aspects of justice and low levels of trust towards the ownership of the wind farm, appeared to have some importance for the attitude towards the wind farm, but not decisive importance. Among the interviewees, there was to some extent a consensus that the compensation should be greater for the wind farm in Tönsen. Several of those who were interviewed believed that the property tax should go to the municipalities concerned. A property tax was also considered to be something that would overall increase the acceptance of wind power among municipalities
The Role of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Providers in Co-Creating Sustainable Product Life Cycles : a qualitative case study of electric vehicle rental companies in Sweden & Denmark
Get PDFThis study examines the crucial role of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) providers in promoting sustainable consumption and production in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Europe's goal of achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as outlined in the European Green Deal, has propelled the expansion of EVs. However, increased EV usage and associated battery production have amplified the demand for natural resources like cobalt, leading to environmental and social concerns. This study illustrates a novel approach to integrating sustainability principles into business operations, such as having MaaS providers encourage users to be involved in the rental electric vehicle's design, production and consumption rather than just merely involve users in their rental service's design, production and consumption. By exploring the role of MaaS providers in promoting a more sustainable product life cycle, this research expands the understanding of how businesses can extend their sustainability practices to include consumers. Employing a multi-case study approach, this study also identifies the challenges and benefits in co-creating practices with users.
In the finding, online platforms were most often used for rental and shared service provisions to co-creating with consumers to prompte sustainable EV life cycle. However, each of the four companies provided different insights into the design, production and consumption of the EVs. The findings of this study will provide valuable insights for EV service providers and policymakers, illuminating three co-creation spacess (co-creating design, co-creating production and co-creating consumption) as sustainable strategies for EV production and consumption. This knowledge can contribute to the change management and risk assessment literature in the field of business administration, providing practical implications for businesses considering the transition to sustainability
Assessing the Impact of Ocean Proximity and a Nuclear Power Plant on Property Values : a Hedonic Price Study in Östhammar
Get PDFThis study examines the impact of environmental attributes, specifically proximity to the ocean and a nuclear power plant, on property prices in Östhammar municipality during the period of 2017-2022. By conducting a hedonic price model for evaluating non-market goods, a dataset of 1210 observations of family houses and vacation homes was analyzed. The dependent variable in the model was the price of sold property, which included house characteristics and distances to environmental attributes. The analysis involves the conducting of regression analyses with robust standard errors and a logarithmic model to represent the elasticity. The result revealed a significant negative relationship between distance to the ocean and property prices, indicating that properties closer to the coastline commanded higher prices. Conversely, the distance to the nuclear power plant and property prices were observed, indicating a positive significant relationship that when increasing the distance from the power plant resulted in higher property prices