Garphyttans nationalpark: en skötselhistorisk studie i natur och kultur

Abstract

The following thesis has taken up a case study of Garphyttan National Park which is located 1.5 km west of Örebro, in Närke and Örebro counties. The national park was established in 1909, as one of Sweden's first national parks, with the aim of preserving an older agricultural landscape in essentially unchanged condition. The overall purpose of the thesis was to deepen the knowledge of the national park's management and maintenance in a long-term perspective. The aim was also to raise knowledge about the history and agriculture of the place before it became a national park, as well as to highlight the biodiversity and biological cultural heritage of the farmland. The method was carried out as four sub-investigations with a document study, a map and register study, a field and inventory study and an interview study. Results from the study showed that the national park is located on the property of Östra gården in Svenshyttan and that there are many remains left from buildings, crofts, mines and coaling. Also extensive farmland with fields, cabbage farms, pastures, meadows, deciduous meadows and biological cultural heritage. Results from the study also show that the national park at the time of its establishment had total protection in the belief that the flora and deciduous meadows were completely natural and should not be managed. As a result, it grew again and the meadow lost its floral wonder. The old arable land was cleared up in the 1950s and parts of the flora returned. Inventories of plants and the creation of management plans in recent times have provided a better basis for the management and maintenance of the arable land. Results from the inventory show that the entire national park is undergoing a strong change with many measures needed. Diseases on deciduous trees and pests on conifers change both the natural and cultural environment. There is therefore a need to create a new management plan and regulations that provide more space for restoring the nature- and cultural environments. Other options discussed here are possibilities to convert the national park into a cultural reserve and nature reserve.