Last updated: September 2024
Välen is a natural area 8 km south of central Gothenburg, established as a protected nature reserve in 2013. Prior to the establishment of the nature reserve, Välen was an agricultural area that experienced environmental degradation due to pollution from a nearby sewage treatment plant. Västra Frölunda Nature Conservation Association leased the land in 1985 in order to allow cattle to graze through the overgrown meadows as a form of landscaping approach [Ref. 5]. The City of Gothenburg took the initiative to protect and manage the area as a protected reserve [Ref. 1, 2]. It is formed of wet meadows and deciduous forests and has a total area of about 68 hectares, of which 52 ha are land and 16 ha are water. Välen is situated by the sea and the mouth of a small river, and protects some of the coastal waters. Residential areas surround the nature reserve and are a popular destination for recreation [Ref. 1-3]. In creating the nature reserve, efforts were made to make the area more accessible to visit and to provide learning opportunities. New paths, entrances and signs were established [Ref. 3-4]. The nature reserve is described as contributing to several national environmental goals, particularly goals related to biodiversity [Ref. 2].
Grazing cattle in the nature reserve
https://vartgoteborg.se/p/highland-cattle-kor-far-sommarjobb-pa-valen/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Coastlines
- Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
- Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Deforestation and forest degradation
- Poor water quality
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Inadequate access to recreational opportunities
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Updated management structure of existing green spaces (e.g. parks), Protection of natural ecosystems, Creating nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, or biodiversity hotspots to conserve unique ecosystems
Project objectives
- Protect the environment on land and in the water from exploitation.
- Preserve and develop biodiversity, focusing on particularly protection-worthy species and ecosystems.
- Enable recreation, outdoor activities, and pedagogical activities, and make them accessible to everyone all year.
- Preserve existing biotopes like deciduous forests and wet meadows through maintenance.
- Improve water quality by reducing the input of particular materials, nutrients and pollution.
- Preserve and make visible historical remnants.
[Ref. 2]
Implementation activities
1. Protection of the area due to its natural values became a matter of interest in the 1970's.
2. A plan for restoration was suggested by the University of Gothenburg, and cattle owned by a local conservation organisation started grazing to restore open areas in the 90's.
3. The city of Gothenburg surveyed the area, created a conservation plan and made the area informally protected at the beginning of the 2000s.
4. The City of Gothenburg started a project group to create the nature reserve in 2011, starting a process where the necessary documents were written and stakeholders consulted.
5. The nature reserve was established in 2013 after a decision by the City of Gothenburg.
6. Measures to develop the reserve were taken according to the plan, such as creating new entrances and improving paths through the reserve, building amendments such as benches and trash cans, and opening up some areas.
[Ref. 2, 3]
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The City of Gothenburg planned and decided on the establishment of the reserve; they also created and are responsible for the management plan. Local organisations have been promoting the protection and development of the reserve. The Västra Frölunda Nature Conservation Association have had cows graze the wet meadows as a conservation measure supported by the municipality. The local public was consulted by distributing consultation documents and stakeholder meetings. [Ref. 2-4]
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
("Program for Protection of Natural Environments in Urban Areas in the Gothenburg Region" by the county administrative board [Ref. 2])
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The zoning plan for the City of Gothenburg had identified the area as a planned nature reserve some years before the formal establishment. )
Type of enablers
Capacity-building projects
Financing
Total cost
€100,000 - €500,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of other services
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Other
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Expected improved water quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Achieved increase in protected green space areas
- Increased number of protection areas
- Achieved increased number of protection areas
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Expected reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Expected increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Increased protection of threatened species
- Expected increased protection of threatened species
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Expected enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.). Välen. Accessed on September 2, 2024, [Source link];
2.
City of Gothenburg (2013). Naturreservat Välen: Beslutshandling. [Source link];
3.
City of Gothenburg (2013). Skötselplan för Naturreservatet Välen. [Source link];
4.
Egle, A. (2014). Välens naturreservat invigs. Vårt Göteborg, Accessed on September 2, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Swanberg, L. (2024). Highland cattle-kor får sommarjobb på Välen. Vårt Göteborg, Accessed on September 2, 2024, [Source link];
The bird watching tower in Välen
https://stefansnaturfotoblogg.blogspot.com/2014/03/valen.html
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.