Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

To have a forest area close to the city is of great importance for the city population’s well being. Children develop their motor skills, concentration and imagina-tion and the adults have a place to shake of the stress from work. Forest areas are used to exercise at, play in and to find a moment of peace and silence.

The urban forest and the old farming pastures at Markussonvallen and Per-Isakssonvallen already has natural assets worth to preserve and a great potential to create more. The goal is to develop a forest with a variation of tree species and ground vegetation that will appeal to the human senses and different animal species such as birds, insects etc. The hope with creating a greater variation in the forest is to protect and increase the biodiversity in the area.

It is important to learn from the mistakes made in the history of forest management so the same will not be repeated. During the 18th and 19th century there were many forests that were overexploited. It was implemented by farmers that cleared large forest areas to create fields for their crops, by the iron industry that demanded huge amounts of wood as fuel and by the forest products industry such saw and paper mills. The reforestation was not properly taken care of. In the year of 1903 the first Forest Act was passed. The Forest Act demanded the forest owner to replant after a forest clear felling.
The management of an urban forest demands a good knowledge and great con-sideration of the users need and demands but also knowledge about what natu-ral assets that already exists in the area and the areas prerequisites to develop these. With an open communication with other organizations that has interests in the area the chance to create a forest that will live up to the set goal will im-prove. The purpose of this report is that the care proposal made for the forest can be used as a support when planning the future management of the urban forest and the old farming pastures in the designated area at Markussonvallen and Per-Isakssonvallen.