Different Worldviews as Impediments to Integrated Nature and Cultural Heritage Conservation Management: Experiences from Protected Areas in Northern Sweden

Abstract

In the management of protected nature areas, arguments are being raised for increasingly integrated approaches. Despite an explicit ambition from the responsible managing governmental agencies, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and Swedish National Heritage Board, attempts to initiate and increase the degree of integrated nature and cultural heritage conservation management in the Swedish mountains are failing. The delivery of environmental policy through the Swedish National Environmental Objective called Magnificent Mountains is dependent on increased collaboration between the state and local stakeholders. This study, using a group model building approach, maps out the system’s dynamic interactions between nature perceptions, values and the objectives of managing agencies and local stakeholders. It is identified that the dominance of a wilderness discourse influences both the objectives and management of the protected areas. This wilderness discourse functions as a barrier against including cultural heritage conservation aspects and local stakeholders in management, as wilderness-influenced objectives are defining protected areas as environments “untouched” by humans. A wilderness objective reduces the need for local knowledge and participation in environmental management. In reality, protected areas depend, to varying degrees, on the continuation of traditional land-use practices.

Desirable Effects from Disturbance Ecology—A Paradox within Conservation Management

“…For example one reason to put out spontaneous fire in the Haparanda Archepelago is to protect cultural environments. The finding that cultural preservation is an obstacle for natural disturbances contradicts Österlin, Schlyter and Stjernquist [36], who say that the primary target for national park management is to conserve and protect wilderness, even at the expense of cultural preservation.…”

“…The second one is a study from oak-rich forests in southern Sweden and focuses on how beetles respond to either partial cutting or leaving conservation forests for free development, and the difficulties involved in giving advice on how to maintain these forests due to both different response from different beetle species and how big the cut area is [35]. According to Österlin, et al [36], the protected areas in mountain regions in northern Sweden have a management objective dominated by the "wilderness" discourse. Since protected areas described as wilderness are defined as being untouched by humans, the management of environmental values through wilderness discourse basically involves leaving the area for free development [36].…”

“…According to Österlin, et al [36], the protected areas in mountain regions in northern Sweden have a management objective dominated by the "wilderness" discourse. Since protected areas described as wilderness are defined as being untouched by humans, the management of environmental values through wilderness discourse basically involves leaving the area for free development [36].…”

“…The first national parks, created in 1909, had a clear focus on state-owned mountain areas in northern Sweden. Still today there are larger parks in the northern part of Sweden, even if nowadays they are more spread out to represent Sweden's variety of nature [36]. Another important change that contributed to the modern development of forests and their protection is that Swedish environmental policies were put in place by implementing three important environmental laws: the Nature Conservation Act (1964), the Environment Protection Act (1969), and the Hazardous Products Act (1973) [50].…”

Methodological Challenges in Studying Trust in Natural Resources Management

“…The models depict the stakeholders' perception of the resource, the social, political, and economic aspects of their use, and the interaction between those variables [3]. In facilitating the development of models, many questions focus on "what modes of cooperation" are available to meet a management objective, and whether stakeholders feel there is an opportunity to participate in the process of solution development [4].…”