In Sweden, the environmental quality goal 13 for A Varied Agricultural Landscape, that combines environment, food production and rurality and aims at keeping the agricultural landscape open, was considered as not achieved in 2016. One of the reasons for this non-achievementis the agricultural intensification and specialisation and in turn the decrease in number of pastures during the 20th century, threating thus habitats, diversity and values resulting from a continuous, traditional use of the land commonly called ‘biological heritage’. This study focuses on the traditional and sustainable animal husbandry using pastures, contributing to both the preservation of biological heritage and the production of high-quality food. It relies upon the assumption that the link between artisan food production and biological heritage is not well understood nor highlighted by the different actors taking part into the process of producing, selling, buying and consuming artisan food products in the rural areas of mid-northern Scandinavia, and therefore the study attempts to contribute with knowledge about how biological heritage is understood, described and communicated within this context. For such purposes the study takes a phenomenographic approach with biological heritage, pastures and artisan food products as the conceptions to be tested, and consists of semi-structured interviews of three agencies and surveys of artisan food producers and consumers. It adopts an environmental communication theoretical framework where a model is suggested for investigating actors’ learning process of biological heritage, from agencies to producers to consumers. The results reveal three phenomenographic categories showing that agencies and producers understand biological heritage in terms of (1) cared habitat and cared species, (2) historical and cultural know-how and (3) animals and their tasteful diet, and it is showed that the necessity of a continuous, traditional human use was less put forward than the cultural dimension of biological heritage. Also producers communicate about biological heritage to consumers through both their products and their actions. Furthermore the results show that consumers’ understandings of biological heritage are similar to the agencies’ and producers’ phenomenographic categories and that they could make a link between artisan food production and biological heritage, but only to some extent. Finally, in order to create an economic value for such products, a sense of place for pastures is argued to be a basis for people’s willingness to take care of and safeguard pastures. This study can be the starting point for further research, especially for investigating how producers actually interact with consumers about biological heritage when selling their products.

Nature and culture are closely connected and in constant change in relation to each other. Although this is well known by now the cultural aspects rarely are concidered when it comes to conserving of nature (in Sweden). This paper examines naturums (Swedish visiting centres) relationship to the cultural aspects of landscapes and nature. It also examines how the Swedish nature (Naturvårdsverket) and culture (Riksantikvarieämbetet) conservation agencies work together. Beyond this the paper looks in to why it is important to include the cultural aspects within nature conservation and in what way archaeology could be a rewarding factor in reaching this knowledge. This paper points out why a more holistic picture is needed if we want to take care of the nature in the best possible way for future generations, also why a working ecosystem and landscapes with high natural values are important. This paper focuses on naturum because it´s the biggest museum of nature in Sweden - with great power comes great responsibility. Naturum often works with and for children and youngsters. Therfore it is most important that naturum teaches and inform about all aspects within landscapes, nature and the role humans play within the ecosystem. This to give future generations a holistic picture from the beginning. Naturum will be assessed from a theoretical frame based on the concept of biocultural heritage, which suggests a holistic view of a landscape within research and stewardship concerning landscapes and to transform knowledge in to policy. In the end of the paper, I discuss possible improvements within nature and culture conservation work in Sweden to reach a better cooperation between the two government agencies Naturvårdsverket and Riksantikvarieämbetet. In conclusion I argue that there is knowledge in both Naturvårdsverket and Riksantikvarieämbetet about the importance of including cultural aspects to optimize the conservation of nature. The same seems to go for most naturum, although there is a need of more concrete guidelines from Naturvårdsverket to help naturum to include the aspects in a clearer way. This is important if naturum are gonna be able to inform their visitors about the cultural aspekts within landscapes. I argue that the best thing to do for nature and culture conservation in Sweden is to merge the two agencies into one. I believe this would result in an easier and more natural cooperation between the two.

Summer pasture contributes both to cultural-historical values and to positive effects on biodiversity. However, the usage of the term ”summer pastures” varies and there is no general definition. This lack of definition gives rise to a conflict: Should the summer pasture be preserved for its cultural-historical value by having it look just like before, or should it be preserved for its value in biodiversity? Today, the authorities’ image of summer pasture is what controls which summer pastures and what values are granted financial support. This means that the summer pastures risk being defined and developed on the basis of the authorities' image, not by the image the farmers themselves have, which is based on historical and conservational knowledge. Thus, the purpose of this study is to highlight the use of summer pasture as a phenomenon and an activity from the user's perspective. In order to discover how the farmers themselves view summer pastures, a phenomenographic method is used to analyze interviews of summer pasture farmers with varying backgrounds and activities. The results of the study show that the summer pasture of today varies with regard to the design of the business. The common denominator is the small-scale animal husbandry where summer pasture take place on the outskirts beyond the home farm, to where the farmer moves with the animals during summer. Summer pasture has traditionally never been an economic gain, nor does it provide much today. The farmers are enthusiasts who believe in a higher purpose of what they do. The lack of definition is something that affects them only in their contact with authorities, from where they are only met with ignorance. The farmers believe that the summer pasture have a cultural-historical value, one that also lies in the future with increasing environmental awareness and climate change. / Fäbodbruk bidrar såväl med kulturhistoriska värden som med positiva effekter på den biologiska mångfalden. Bilden av vad dagens fäbodbruk innebär varierar dock och ingen allmän definition finns. I och med bristen på definition uppstår en konflikt: Bör fäbodbruket bevaras för dess kulturhistoriska värde genom att det ska se ut precis som förr, eller ska det bevaras för dess värde för den biologiska mångfalden? Idag är det myndigheternas bild av fäbodbruk som styr vilka fäbodar och värden som beviljas ekonomiskt stöd. Detta innebär att fäbodbruket riskerar att definieras och utvecklas utifrån myndigheternas bild, inte av den bild brukarna själva har som är baserad på historisk och bevarandevärd kunskap. Syftet med denna studie är således att belysa fäbodbruket som företeelse och som verksamhet utifrån brukarens perspektiv. För att få fram den bild fäbodbrukarna själva har av fäbodbruk används en fenomenografisk metod för att analysera intervjuer av fäbodbrukare med varierande bakgrund och verksamhet. Studiens resultat påvisar att dagens fäbodbruk varierar vad gäller verksamhetens utformning. Den gemensamma nämnaren är att det rör sig om småskalig djurhållning där sommarbetet sker på utmarkerna bortom hemgården dit brukaren flyttar med djuren på sommaren. Fäbodbruk är inget som traditionellt sett är något som gett en ekonomisk vinning och knappast heller ger idag. Fäbodbrukarna är snarare eldsjälar som tror på ett högre syfte kring det de gör. Avsaknandet av definition är något som påverkar dem först vid kontakt med myndigheter av vilka de möts av okunskap. Brukarna anser att fäbodbruket har ett kulturhistoriskt värde men att fäbodbruket även hör till framtiden i och med en ökande miljömedvetenhet och klimatförändringar. / Biologiskt kulturarv som hållbar värdeskapare

The rural landscape surrounding the bigger cities are becoming increasingly fragmented due to pressures from urbanization and higher demands on conflicting usages of available buildable land. This has resulted in the natural and cultural landscapes in peri-urban areas being threatened. One usage of this land by equine sport is expanding where the horses need access to land and nature. A great majority of the horses in Sweden are kept in peri-urban areas, but horse keeping is also a factor that increases the risk for land use conflicts. The aim of this study is to better understand the role of horse keeping in the peri-urban landscape, by investigating these activities through the lens of ecosystem services. This study looked into the challenges and potential of horse keeping in physical planning, and how it is currently included by the local government of Österåker municipality in Stockholm county. This was achieved as a qualitative case study, consisting of interviews with local horse keepers, a web based survey for municipal residents and an analysis of available local government planning policies, reports and strategic documents. Horse keeping was found to be primarily associated with cultural ecosystem services, by its contribution to the equine sport sector and the preservation of the rural cultural and natural landscape with high recreational values. By preserving farmland and grazing pastures for horses, horse keeping can also be linked to supporting, regulating and provisioning ecosystem services. In addition, horse keeping in peri-urban areas was found to end in the periphery of the local physical planning. However, there is a need to integrate a long-term strategy and holistic perspective to achieve the full potential of the horse keeping, considering the contribution to the ecosystem services. There is a need for a more creative planning if horses should reach the potential as a resource and a planning tool for a sustainable development in the dynamic peri-urban landscape.