Skötsel av tätortsnära skogliga rekreationsområden : besökares upplevelser i norra och södra Sverige

Abstract: The main purpose of this M. Sc. thesis is to increase the knowledge about managing urban forestry for recreational use. The analysis is focusing on differences between visitors' experiences in the north and south of Sweden, represented by Nydalasjön and by Härlanda tjärn. The analysis was carried out with questionnaires handed out to visitors in both areas. To complete the questionnaires, the visitors followed a path and judged five different forest environments. The forest environments were similar at Nydala and Härlanda tjärn. Along the path, the visitors judged the recreational value partly from the real forest environment and partly from manipulated photos of the forest environment. After the visitors had walked the path, they participated in an interview were they ranked photos from the path. The interview was made in order to see if the visitors perspective of the forest environments had been effected of "the learning" during the path. At Nyalasjön the analysis took place during four days in September, two weekdays and two weekend days. At Härlanda tjärn the analysis took place during two days in October, one weekday and one weekend day. In total, 124 visitors participated in the analysis, approximately the same number at Nydalasjön and at Härlanda tjärn. In both areas, the majority of the visitors were women. The visitors were younger at Nydalasjön, mainly 20-29 years old. At Härlanda tjärn the visitors were of all ages. People with education from forestry or being forest owners, were larger at Nydalasjön compared to the visitors at Härlanda tjärn. The visitors at Nydalasjön lived closer to the recreation area than the visitors at Härlanda tjärn. Still, the visitors at Härlanda tjärn visit the area more frequently, 2,9 times during a 14 days period compared to 1,6 times during a 14 days period at Nydalasjön. The most frequently visit environments were, at both areas, walking roads. The analysis showed that forest management can create increased recreational values, and some differences between the answers in north and south of Sweden were noted. Above all, management like precommercial thinning were positive for recreation value. Also the introductions of old trees in the young forest were positive and thick dimensions of birch. The visitors by Härlanda tjärn were also positive to an increased amount of trees on the peat land. At Nydalasjön the visitors considered the open peat land and the forest peat land of equally value. The visitors' grading of the even high, edge of the wood were not different from the judgment of the step formed, edge. If the results may be generalized they show that the area of young forest should be limited in recreation areas in both parts of the country, but mostly in the north of Sweden. The visitors in the south of Sweden do not appreciate dead wood. In the south of Sweden forest of Norway spruce were also graded negative. In the north of Sweden both forest of Norway spruce and dead wood were appreciated. Women graded potential precommercial thinning (not performed precommercial thinning) more negative then men and performed precommercial thinning more positive then men. The difference was not significant. The combined method of real environments and manipulated photographs, performed visitors' experiences of different environments were effectively. The method makes it possible to analyse social values of several management alternatives in a limited area to reasonable cost.