Governing access to outdoor recreation spaces in urban coastal areas under pressure. A comparison of Norwegian, Swedish and Danish planning practices

Governing access to outdoor recreation spaces in urban coastal areas under pressure. A comparison of Norwegian, Swedish and Danish planning practices. 

Gentin, S., Beery, T. Berge, O.


Introduction and objectives

Urban coastal zones across the world are under extraordinary and increasing pressures from human land use and activities. In Norway, Sweden and Denmark, urban coastal regions experience high population growth and the number of visitors during summer seasons far exceeds the permanent resident population (Hansen, 2016). Access to blue-green recreation areas is vital to public health and well-being (Ives et al 2018) but both environmental qualities and opportunities for coastal recreation are threatened (Hansen 2016). The reduction in public access is a political concern, supported by outdoor recreation organizations. The gaps between those with and without access is increasing and must be addressed (Skår et al, 2011). Local authorities have a responsibility to promote sustainable outdoor recreation and ensure admission to public shore spaces, such as coastal paths, public beaches, and camp sites, but must navigate in a multi-level governance system of actors with conflicting interests and goals. 



Partnership and working together is vital in meeting sustainability challenges (United Nations, SDG 17), and contributions from the third sector is key. The potential role and capacity for voluntary organizations in contributing to sustainability shifts is under-researched. An empirically based systematic understanding of potentials and tensions between civil society initiatives, state and market actors in the governance of complex coastal settings is currently lacking. In the project, we therefore ask how policies, practices, and interests collectively translate into a multi-level governance system, and how civil society initiatives influence and potentially change this system, which leads to the following research question: 



What measures are taken to safeguard and ensure public access to coastal spaces in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and to what extent/how are voluntary organizations involved in and have influence over the governance of urban coastal areas under pressure? 


Methods

The research is based on three qualitative case studies conducted in coastal areas in Denmark, Sweden and Norway – namely the Fjordstien around Roskilde Fjord; the Kullenleden in western Skåne region and the Kyststien around the Oslo Fjord. The intention of this study is to explore policy and management relevant aspects of sustainable costal outdoor recreation through information from different stakeholders around these trails.



Through document analysis, and in-depth interviews with the involved stakeholders (ranging from authorities to practitioners, and outdoor visitors) we will reveal and analyse the complex governance system in transition towards sustainable coastal management. Interview questions were organized using a grounded approach (Corbin and Strauss 1998) meaning that questions were semi-structured and interviews were open, exploratory, and in-depth in character. Interview information was triangulated with a desktop policy analysis prior the interviews – focusing on sustainable development of the coastal zone in the case areas. A second focus was on the opportunities voluntary organizations have to become involved in governance at the municipal level in each case study. This was done to establish broad categories representing baseline approaches to sustainable development of coastal recreation in each case study site – and enabling cross-case-comparison.



Document analysis, conducted in the spring 2024, were followed by fieldwork in the three case areas during the summer of 2024.



Findings will be discussed with a departure in institutions and discourses around local democracy, planning cultures and the capacity of volunteering organizations (Kiss et al. 2022). Recognition of citizen contributions to nature management is rooted in planners’ strong belief that “2+2 gives 5” and a dialogue-based planning tradition in the Nordic countries (Gentin et al. 2022) contextualize the analyses.



References



Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research techniques.



Gentin, S., Herslund, L. B., Gulsrud, N. M., & Hunt, J. B. (2022). Mosaic governance in Denmark: a systematic investigation of green volunteers in nature management in Denmark. Landscape Ecology, 1-16.



Hansen, A. S. (2016). Outdoor recreation monitoring in coastal and marine areas–an overview of Nordic experiences and knowledge. Geografisk Tidsskrift-Danish Journal of Geography, 116(2), 110-122.



Ives, C. D., Abson, D. J., Von Wehrden, H., Dorninger, C., Klaniecki, K., & Fischer, J. (2018). Reconnecting with nature for sustainability. Sustainability science, 13, 1389-1397.



Kiss, B., Sekulova, F., Hörschelmann, K., Salk, C. F., Takahashi, W., & Wamsler, C. (2022). Citizen participation in the governance of nature‐based solutions. Environmental Policy and Governance, 32(3), 247-272.



Skår, M., Vistad, O. I., & Wold, L. C. (2011). Om privatlivets fred og allmennhetens ferdsel i strandsona: spenninger og muligheter. Utmark (1-2).



United Nations The 17 Goals. Sustainable Development [internet] accessible https://sdgs.un.org/goals





 

Key words: Outdoor recreation, coastal zones, planning, voluntary organizations, governance