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Naturum Fulu Mountain – nature experiences for everyone
Published on 17 October 2019
Sweden
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
The first national park in Sweden was founded 1909 to preserve the nature in the area. Nowadays the main tasks are to safeguard, maintain and show. The parks should be for everyone and at least some of the parks should be available for all, because we all pay for the national parks. The purpose is to raise thoughts about how we treat nature and how we want it to look in the future, give people hope - to do something. The Naturum Fulu Mountain was built 2002. It offers staff on site that you can ask questions, information in an easy language, ramps etc. A 4 km graveled and pedestrian hiking trail has been prepared, where 2 km is fully accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. The Naturum Fulu Mountain is available to the general public and provide information to school classes. It also collaborates with entrepreneurs who offer guided tours, dog hiking, bed and breakfast etc. Some of these are certified through the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Criteria; sustainable, locally produced, ecological and working in the national park spirit. The Naturum organizes courses and helps to create package solutions for its certified partners. Stakeholders: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the County Administrative Board of Dalarna, Visit Dalarna- the Dalarna visitor industry cluster, Älvdalen municipality. Beneficiaries: disability associations, pensioners' associations, schools, the general public.
Resources needed
The visitors centre was built with funding from the EU, the region and the municipality. Lately, EUR 3000 has been invested in new infrastructure (a hiking trail, a serving, a service house with toilets and a parking.) 1 manager 100 %, 1 worker 50% , 1 summer worker of 100%, 7 Nature Guards
Evidence of success
The visitors centre has 30.000 visitors and the park approx. 60.000 people per year. The interviewee experiences that the proportion of elderly and/or disabled visitors is increasing thanks to the access adaptation. However, there is no statistical data that shows the age of the visitors. Naturum Fulufjället has 15 national park partners, listed on the website below; entrepreneurs who can show that they are aware of the rules in Fulufjället and the values of the National Parks of Sweden.
Potential for learning or transfer
The Naturum Fulu Mountain has laid the foundation for a collaboration between national park- certified entrepreneurs in the area. There is a great potential in developing products for elderly and disabled in order to reach new customers. The methods used to make parts of the national park available to new target groups and to engage entrepreneurs who want to be trained to become national park certified can be transferred to other national parks or similar in Europe. There is also a potential to share ideas about how to put together different services from the entrepreneurs to attractive packages for silver-visitors. Naturum Fulu Mountain already cooperates with the Norwegian side of the mountain, with Idre sameby, the southernmost sami village in Sweden and with Bayerischer Wald, Sumava, a national park in the border area between Germany and the Czech Republic.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
County Administration Board of Dalarna
Sweden
Norra Mellansverige
Contact
International strategist