Svante is a PhD and Assistant Professor in Human Geography, and conducts research on human geography, economic and political geography with a concentration on societal transformation and rural development, and the institutional framework for local development. The legislation surrounding the forest, in a broad interpretation, assigns rights and responsibilities to different groups, which means that the forest can be seen as a space for both action and influence. In pace with the changes in society and new groups claiming forest and other lands, various conflicts of interest can arise. Svante is active at Karlstad University.
Between 1990 and 2010 the group of forest owners changed in many ways, increasingly coming to resemble the general population. However, this change is not noticeable in how forests are managed. The period between 1990 and 2010 saw an increase in the number of forest owners living in a different municipality than where their forest…
Overall, production and nature conservation hold fast to their different goals for forest management, despite numerous long discussions about appropriate methods and the degree of set-aside. However, there are certain small changes where the two interest areas meet. A great deal of Sweden’s land area comprises of forest, and there are many different goals for…
There is a prevailing view of the countryside that is generalized, and at times dark, as areas that exist merely for the cities and seldom as areas with their own innate value. Such a view causes one to miss the diversity found in our various types of rural areas. Even though some parts of the…
An overarching plan that includes forest and municipal planning as well as other land-use interests is motivated, not least with thought to the possibility to understand and handle conflicts concerning the forest landscape. Municipalities establish a municipal development plan accounting for how the land within the municipality will be used, as well as plans for…
Today’s economy, which is based on the access to the right manpower and the spread of knowledge, has fundamentally changed the conditions for economic development in sparsely populated areas. However, despite a concentration of markets in urban areas, there are good examples of companies that have succeeded in more sparsely populated areas. Companies are growing…