Tvååkers mosse - A collaborative project in the development of a multifunctional landscape

Abstract

Increased demands are being placed on sustainable land use development, and multifunctional landscapes have thus become a relevant issue in environmental management and planning (Boverket, 2020). Wetlands are areas that can generate multiple values and functions, such as recreational, ecological, and cultural-historical. A relevant area that includes a wetland area and has multiple functions is Tvååkers mosse. This study aims to better understand collaboration processes in multifunctional landscapes by exploring the components of the Tvååkers mosse project. By examining the importance of the physical landscape, it is possible to understand why and how the collaborative process influenced the land use change in the development of this multifunctional landscape. The study uses an actor-driver model (DFA-C) to systematically analyze how these components influence each other during the process. Within a contextual landscape perspective and through the lens of time-geography, in this thesis these approaches function as interpretive horizons that elucidate how human activity, material constraints, and spatial proximity collectively shape the physical landscape over a longer period of time. Using a qualitative case study where interviews, document analysis, and field observations were mainly used, the collaboration process was analyzed, and the importance of the physical landscape was understood. The change in land use has been possible thanks to local collaboration, strong civil society, and a clear common goal. The conditions of the physical landscape, in other words, its history and local values, have been decisive for how and why changes in land use have occurred at the Tvååkers mosse site. Finally, the study of Tvååkers mosse demonstrates how locally anchored initiatives can create sustainability in the physical landscape through dialogue and collaboration among actors. The collaborative process that has emerged in the development of Tvååkers mosse can thus be a source of inspiration for similar areas.