What nature are you entitled to?

Photo: from the Information film from the Nature Regulation Authority

Tell us briefly about the prototype. What questions are you exploring through your future prototype?

- The Forest Pass takes the visitor into a future where the industrial use of the forest, from today to the year 2050, has been prioritized, the biodiversity of animals and plants has drastically decreased and humans' relationship with the forest and nature has changed. Forestry is threatened by biological crises and the trees stand in long rows in large monocultural forestry fields. In that future, Vättlefjäll is one of the few remaining natural areas in Sweden that can be visited. To stay in the area, a "Forest Pass" is required - a digital permit that controls who can go where, when and for how long. Through this future prototype, the project group wants to investigate how we react when something we have long taken for granted - such as free access to the forest - becomes subject to control and regulation.

We want to arouse both emotions and conversations by exploring questions such as: What does nature mean to us? How should we share it in the future – and what happens if we don't do it fairly? How can we manage the forest and protect biodiversity?

Upplev Skogspasset here: What nature are you entitled to?

Who are you trying to reach?

- With our prototype, we wanted to reach a broad audience, which would be inclusive and not exclude anyone from being able to take part in it. We had the general public as the primary target group for participation and decision-makers and active people within the forest value chain as a secondary target group.

Photo: from the Information film from the Nature Regulation Authority

How is the prototype designed? And how have your target groups been able to interact with the prototype?

- The idea that in the future we need a forest pass to be able to go out into the few natural areas that remain was presented through two different exhibitions. When the prototype was exhibited in Vättlefjäll Nature Reserve, there was an entrance in place where visitors had to register to start their visit. After going through the entrance, the visitor was met with a future map of the area and a reflection station. The second part of the prototype was created digitally, which could be accessed from the QR code on their forest pass. With the help of audio stories in the form of a radio report from P4 Göteborg in 2050, an individual's reflections on his visit and an information film, the picture of the future is deepened. Here, the visitor is also met with the story of what has led us from today to this future in 2050 and information about the project.

What thoughts and feelings has the prototype aroused in the target group?

- The direct reaction from almost all visitors has been a feeling that this is a future we do not want and a great chasm that the right of public access no longer exists. From feelings and thoughts about our right to nature, thoughts have also been raised about nature's own right. Here are some quotes from visitors who experienced the future prototype in Vättlefjäll:

“This is not Sweden.”
"Damn, that's crazy, imagine if it had happened like that"
“I picked 20 liters of blueberries. Shouldn’t I be allowed to pick?”
“It’s important to look ahead too, what are we doing?”
“We come from nature.”

What is happening with/what plans do you have for the prototype going forward?

- As far as we know right now, the prototype will live on in August at the RISE Prototypande community conference, where it can be visited by us internally but also by external invitees. The digital part of the prototype and the documentation of the exhibitions will live on, we just haven't yet decided how we will take the next step with the results we have. But we hope to arouse more emotions and dialogues.

Read more about the project and actors involved on the project page: Forest Pass - What nature are you entitled to?

Thank you very much Kajsa!

Read more about Vinnova's transformation journey for a sustainable forest value chain