Härjedalen Municipality will soon adopt a new general plan. Many interests must be aligned. Recently, the proposal was subject to review and after 29 opinions have been received, it is clear that the issue that has generated the most reactions concerns the reindeer industry as a national interest.

More specifically, it is about how the municipality has taken a position on what areas should be identified as national interest areas for the reindeer industry and not.

In the general plan, the municipality takes a position that national areas of interest should also include private land. Among other things, this writing shows:

” Härjedalen Municipality questions the state's designation of areas as national interest for reindeer herding on privately owned land in Härjedalen municipality. The municipality is of the opinion that the state should withdraw these claims . "

Concern about reduced winter pastures

The municipality's attitude concerns concerned Sami villages and the Sami Parliament, which believes that if private lands are not included in the national interest areas, access to winter pastures can be reduced.

" All winter grazing land is needed for the Sami villages to be able to continue their natural pasture-based reindeer husbandry " is stated in the opinion from the Handölsdalen and Tossåsens Sami villages.

But the purpose is not to restrict pastures. This is stated by the municipal council Lars-Gunnar Nordlander (S). In the clip above he explains the background to the municipality's attitude.

The county administrative board objects

The County Administrative Board objects to the municipality's position as the municipality does not have the power to decide what should be national interest areas and not. Hear Massimo Cati, at the County Administrative Board's unit, explain why in the video above.

Here you can see a digital version of the overview plan with a map of different national interests

In June, the City Council will decide on the new general plan.