Sweden Opens New Marine National Park

Sweden soon welcomes an addition to its protected natural landscapes with the designation of Nämdöskärgården as the country’s first east coast marine national park. Located just one hour by boat from Stockholm, the park spans 25,000 hectares, with 97 percent of it comprising water.

© Henrik Trygg

Nämdöskärgården encompasses more than 1,000 islands, skerries and reefs, forming one of the largest continuous archipelago landscapes in the Baltic Sea. The landscape was shaped by wind and waves, and its designation as a marine national park further preserves and makes accessible the biodiversity found within.

The park is home to remarkable ecological diversity underwater, including seagrass meadows, bladder wrack belts and vast mussel belts; shallow bays and complex seabed structures providing ideal breeding grounds for young fish; and abundant birdlife above the water alongside rock outcrops on the central skerries and in birch and alder forests further out.

In addition to the park’s nature sites, the area also boasts a rich cultural history. Visitors can explore historic fishing huts and former artist refuges, including Bullerö, home to the hunting lodge of renowned painter Bruno Liljefors.

© Henrik Trygg

The park is easily accessible from Stockholm by boat. In summer (June–September), Båttaxi shipping company offers direct service to the park from Stavsnäs. The park officially opens Sept. 5 and, to mark the occasion, a dedicated week of events, nature experiences and maritime discoveries will take place Aug. 30–Sept. 7.