Besökarstudie i Kilsbergens rekreationsområden : en metod för att utveckla rekreationsmöjligheter på Sveaskogs marker

Abstract: In this Master thesis an effective method is presented to find out what is requested in a forest or outdoor recreation. The aim with the study is to find out how Sveaskog can increase the general interest for experiences in nature and improve the access for recreation. Some questions that have been used to answer this purpose are: Who is visiting/not visiting the recreation area? How is it possible to increase the number of visits? The study is carried out in Kilsbergen and mainly centered around Ånnaboda, which is the natural place for people to meet at and undertake recreational activities. The method that is used is a mail-survey that was sent to visitors and people living in Örebro. People living in Örebro represent potential visitors who live close to the recreation area. 500 surveys were sent to each of the two groups. 412 of the visitors replied while just 318 of the people living in Örebro replied. The respondent rate was large enough to declare the results reliable. The survey of the visitors was spread out over three seasons; summer, autumn and winter, with the reason to discover as many different people and purposes as possible. The questions in the survey were mostly close-ended to make it easier for the respondents, since difficult questions have a risk with a high falling of answers. Many of the questions directly refer to a certain visit; this is to help the respondents think of a specific occasion. Otherwise there is a risk of answering like one whishes to answer and not how the situation actually was. Kilsbergen is a popular excursion area with diverse participation among the visitors. Every year about 500 000 people visit the area in different seasons for different activities. This is a reason why it might be hard to please everyone. Generally it could be said that almost everyone stays in the area for few hours, hardly anyone comes alone, most of the people travel by car and live about 20 kilometer from Kilsbergen. The group called "visitors" has a larger interest of outdoor recreation than the people living in Örebro, the "visitors" also go to Kilsbergen more often. To encourage "visitors" continue to visit the area, physical improvements (like hiking trails, maps and picnic areas) are shown to be the best ways, since these people have already found activities and values they like in the area. But to attract new visitors, it is preferred to expand the organization of activities and events. The managing of forests in an outdoor recreation area is seldom done accordingly to what is wanted by the recreationalist. This study shows that there exists a resistance against appearance of dead trees or branches in the forest. This means that managing for biodiversity does not necessary mean that outdoor recreation is encouraged, instead, both these aspects together with production should be considered in a multiple use of the forest. The study shows that people in average are prepared to pay about 15 SEK for each visit to Kilsbergen. There are no significant differences between the ones who answered the question about willingness to pay for keeping the standard or the ones answering the willingness to pay for improvements. The charge that is accepted to be paid is rather small compared with the time used for each visit and the cost for transportation to the area. Outdoor recreation is highly valued and also improves the public health. In view of that, it might be as important for a governmentally owned company like Sveaskog to encourage outdoor recreation in order to improve the public health instead of receiving any direct incomes from outdoor recreation.