A feasibility study has been initiated to identify the possibilities for Sweden’s northernmost accredited botanical garden. The site under investigation is in the Storklinten area. The municipality of Boden is the lead agency for the feasibility study, in close collaboration with The Arctic Garden Ideell förening and Gothenburg Botanical Garden.
Five hectares in the Storklinten area are now being investigated for another venture – the Arctic Botanic Garden. The chosen site is adjacent to the Storklinten recreational facility in the municipality of Boden and borders Sveaskog’s Storklinten Ecopark in Svartlå, about 30 minutes from the municipal capital Boden. The nature area in question, where the new venture is planned, is located on Storklinten Rekreation AB’sland, which is already part of their development plans.
The preliminary study that has been initiated runs until summer 2025. The municipality of Boden is the principal and The Arctic Garden non-profit association is responsible for project management. The association’s board consists of Kent Ögren, chairman, Mats Berg, business manager of the municipality of Boden, Peter Engström, Storklinten, Mats Havström, head of research at the Gothenburg Botanical Garden, Hans Dyhlén, fundraising advisor, Lena Vikström, project manager and Åse Berglund, senior advisor.
“This feels very exciting and the fact that we have the Gothenburg Botanical Garden with us gives extra weight and expertise to the work. We have searched for and found this site, which is completely appropriate and has all the conditions for the plans”, says Kent Ögren, chairman of the association responsible for project management.
A project group with representation from all parts of the Board is also involved.
Visitor destinations and species conservation
The planned investment means a new tourist destination that can broaden the offer in the region, the municipality and the already tourist-dense Edeforsbygden. In the immediate area there are currently the tourist facilities Treehotel, Arctic Bath and Storklinten, all of which are international travel attractions to Sweden, as well as a network of smaller tourism companies.
“The proximity to the open-air village of Storklinten, with accommodation and well-developed infrastructure for primarily winter activities, creates good conditions for attracting visitors all year round. “For us in Storklinten, this investment also means that we are prepared to ensure the feeling of being ‘in the middle of nature’ also in the future, by setting aside about 40 hectares of forest land and water for the garden and its surrounding area”, says Peter Engström, Storklinten.
He also points out that a botanical garden fits in well with the green transition of northern Sweden and especially Boden, to promote the balance between industry, nature and the environment.
An equally important aspect is that the Arctic Botanic Garden will contribute to research and education linked to northern Sweden’s future species conservation, seed bank and biodiversity.
In Sweden, there are currently only five accredited botanical gardens working to conserve and research wild plants. The northernmost is located in Uppsala. This means that the Arctic Botanic Garden, as its name suggests, will cover the whole of northern Sweden, including different types of alpine and arctic plants, while allowing visitors to experience the natural woodland in the immediate area.
The sketches that have been adapted to Storklinten include idea and display gardens, Arctic and Norrbotten nature and culture, lichen garden, kitchen garden, water garden and visitor center with restaurant. Part of the area will also be linked to work and early research Carl von Linné did in Norrbotten.
Local anchoring with job opportunities
“In the future, the Arctic Botanic Garden will of course mean new jobs and opportunities for cooperation in the area. During the feasibility study, we are planning local meetings to inform and have a dialogue. Otherwise, it is currently about adapting the plan to the new site, producing a basis for a detailed plan and anchoring process for financing”, says Lena Vikström, project manager.
Region Norrbotten has contributed SEK 790,000 to the feasibility study, which has also received SEK 300,000 from Längmanska företagarfonden and support from the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.
Vision sketches: The Arctic Garden Ideell förening, Photo: Storklinten
