The Right of Public Access – the freedom to roam

Sweden’s Right of Public Access is a unique institution. It gives us the freedom to roam just about anywhere in the countryside as long as we do not disturb or destroy. We owe to it many of the opportunities for outdoor recreation that we enjoy in Sweden.

 

 

You rely on the Right of Public Access whenever you go out in the Swedish countryside – whether it is to take a walk, go kayaking, climb a mountain or just sit down on a rock to think.

Under the Right of Public Access we do not need permission to cross private land. This is the basis for the wide-ranging freedom we enjoy to spend time in the countryside.

Outdoor recreation is changing

The reasons why people spend time in the countryside have changed. The important thing used to be experiencing nature as such. But the central thing to many people today is activities for which the countryside provides an arena. Mountain-biking, paragliding, white-water rafting and climbing are activities that are growing in popularity.

Increased pressure on the countryside

The number of people engaging in outdoor recreation has increased as the population grows and people have more leisure. With most people living in cities and towns, the result has been greater pressure on the nearby countryside. Soil and vegetation in popular areas can suffer degradation.

New demands on the Right of Public Access

These changes in the nature of outdoor recreation are placing new demands on the Right of Public Access, which is founded in more traditional ways of enjoying the countryside.

One area of doubt is the scale of recreational activity – with resulting risks of degradation and damage – that a landowner is required to tolerate by virtue of the Right of Public Access. The problem is particularly acute in the case of the organised forms of recreation that are becoming increasingly popular.
 
In most cases, however, natural resources are not degraded by recreational activities. It is often possible for recreational uses and other forms of land use, such as forestry or agriculture, to exist side by side in the same area.

The importance of safeguarding the Right of Public Access

Outdoor recreation is dependent on the public having access to adequate areas of land—now and in the future. This is why the Swedish EPA considers it important to safeguard the Right of Public Access, so that we may all continue to roam the countryside freely.

Contact:

allemansratten (a) naturvardsverket.se, telephone: +46-8-6981000