Garphyttan national park

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One of the original nine national parks of Sweden designated by the government in 1909, Garphyttan is, unlike most of Sweden's other national parks, not protected against human intervention. Instead, the park, covering an area of just over a square kilometer (0.4 square miles), is kept preserved by careful application of traditional methods of foresting and farming.

Sweden's third smallest national park is located in Örebro county and municipality in the heart of the country. The land is carefully kept by traditional means, maintaining a cultural heritage as well as a unique flora and fauna thriving in a habitat not isolated from humans, not exploited by humans, but created in symbiosis with humans.

The park comes alive in the springtime when flowers typical for the Swedish landscape - the blue hepatica, the white anemone, the yellow cowslip, and the white, bell-shaped lily of the valley - bloom in the deciduous forest to the sound of the trush's singing. The golden brown dormouse, rare in other places, finds a haven here.

There are two paths for walking through the park, one through the meadows, and one up to the Svensbodaberget hilltop, which has a nice view of the area. The hiking trail Bergslagsleden also passes through the area. Access to the park is from a road off European highway E18 west of the city of Örebro leading to Svenshyttan at the edge of the park.

Following is a translation of the conditions governing Garphyttan national park. I am neither a lawyer, nor a translator. This is for educational purposes only. Do not blame me if you get in trouble, yada, yada. The conditions translated into the text below apply only to Garphyttan. Other national parks have other conditions specified for them.

Public notice with conditions regarding GARPHYTTAN national park; SNFS (1987:16)

Supported by 4 § of the national park ordinance (1987:938), the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency announces the following conditions for the national park according to 5 § second section of the environmental protection act (1964:822).

Within the national park it is forbidden to

• stock items
• run cables through the ground or air
• construct trails or roads
• raise or expand buildings or other facilities
• conduct military training exercises
• conduct scientific investigations
• conduct business
• dig, excavate, fill, drill, chisel, paint, blast or otherwise damage ground and boulders
• break branches, cut down or otherwise damage living or dead trees, shrubs and bushes
• pick or dig up plants
• enter unmowed meadows
• introduce plant or animal species
• collect or catch insects or other animals or otherwise disturb animal life
• hunt
• use motorized vehicles outside designated roads and parking lots
• land by aircraft
• camp
• make a campfire
• practice horseback-riding
• bring an unleashed dog
• post a sign, poster or similar
• arrange orienteering checkpoints or marked trails

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency can - if special circumstances are present - announce exceptions from given restrictions.

Without hindrance by the above prohibitions, it is permissible

• for staff authorized by the national park bailiff to conduct measures according to determined plan of maintenance
• to gather berries and mushrooms

Passing into law

SNFS 1987:16

This public notice will pass into law on January 1, 1988.

Information synthesized from www.environ.se