This Masters Thesis includes a survey of recreational habits and the attitudes towards forests of the people of Sätra, a suburb of the city of Gävle. The study also includes the planning and design of a forest suited for education in the same part of the city. The thesis is a part of a project called Tätortsnära skog, commissioned by the Swedish forest agency. The project aims to survey the recreational habits of the general public in the regions of Dalarna and Gävleborg. Tätortsnära skog is focused on cities with a population of more than 20 000 inhabitants, of which Gävle, Sandviken, Falun and Borlänge all fall within the category. For this thesis Gävle was chosen with a concentration on Sätra. Sätra was chosen as some local schools had expressed interest the amenity of a local forest suited to education of the local children. The particular suburb is also of interest due to the surrounding forests and the planning of the residential areas close to the nature.
The methods used for the study behind this thesis were a mail survey and interviews. The questionnaire was sent to 400 randomly selected inhabitants of Sätra in early summer-time 2005. The response rate was 221, or 56 %. The questions in the survey were mostly conclusive and dealt with the subjects of background, recreational habits and values of the citizens, both in general and specific for Sätra. The interviews were held at four schools in the neighbourhood. The individuals interviewed were both teachers and children and the meetings were held both out in the forest as well as inside the school. The aim of the interviews was to create a clear view of how to form and shape a forest suited for education. The project also aimed to show and find suitable activities for learning and playing in the forests, from information obtained in the interviews and the literature.
The forest areas of Sätra are classified as neighbourhood recreational areas with a high and frequent rate of visits by the citizens. The survey in this study showed that typical visitors of the forests are mostly alone, or in company of a family member or friend, and the typical visit lasts between 30 minutes and one hour. They usually walk to the forest as all local people of Sätra live close to the nature. The most frequent activity of visitors is walking, mostly on paths, jogging tracks or bicycle lanes. The most popular place to visit is the forest area located northeast of Sätra containing several paths and jogging tracks. This type of easy accessible nature is in great demand from people living in Sätra. They also want more information about activities and possibilities of the forest areas in the neighbourhood. The citizens of Sätra also further value the experience of calmness and privacy in the forests.
With the results of the mail survey it was possible to make a recreation opportunity spectrum analysis concerning Sätra. This involves planning and adjusting the forests and forestry activities for the visitors. In particular it is important to adapt the areas of the forest close to buildings, while in more distant or randomly visited areas a more conventional forestry is sufficient. More signs showing information and directions in Sätra. These signs are an easy way to inform the people of Sätra about which opportunities there is, concerning recreation and nature locally.
A forest suited for education should be of a simple and basic structure. In this thesis a path with a distance of about 2,5 km was created with the intended use...
