Welcome to the 18th European Heathlands Workshop
Sweden | 17–22 August 2025
Small-Scale Strategies for Big Impact in Heathland Management
For the first time since the European Heathland Network began organising its conferences, we are delighted to invite you to Sweden. Throughout the workshop, we will showcase Sweden’s unique heathland landscapes – from the sandy heaths of the south to the wind-swept coastal cliffs of the north. Join us on a journey through these remarkable environments as we share experiences, techniques, and strategies for successful heathland management.
Important Dates
- Registration deadline:
5 MayClosed - Abstract deadline: 16 May
- Payment deadline: 5 June 2025
Workshop Fees
The cost for participation in all parts of the workshop (excluding the Extended Programme) is €1200 (incl. VAT €146) for a single room or €1014 (incl. VAT €126) for a shared room. The final cost depends on the options you select in the registration form.
The fee includes full board accommodation, transportation during the workshop, excursions, programme and the abstract book.
Please note: Beverages are not included except during the conference dinner.
Payment Instructions
After submitting your registration form, you will receive a confirmation email containing:
- Detailed payment instructions
- The exact amount to be paid (based on your registration details)
Cancellation Policy
- Until 15 July: 50% refundable
- Until 1 August: 25% refundable
- After 1 August: No refund
Cancellations must be made in writing.
Extended Programme – Koster Islands
On Friday, we travel by ferry to the Koster archipelago for an overnight stay. On Saturday, we visit Kosterhavet National Park with a focus on heathland management, returning to Strömstad in the afternoon.
Workshop Locations & Travel Information
The main workshop will take place at two locations:
- Scandic Hallandia, Halmstad (17-19 August)
- TanumStrand Spa & Resort, Grebbestad (19-22 August)
The extended workshop will be held 23 August on Koster Island, just off the coast of Strömstad.
Arrival & Departure
Participants are welcome to check in at Scandic Hallandia between 16:00 and 21:00 on Sunday, 17 August. Dinner will be served at 19:30 that evening.
If you plan to join the workshop on Monday 18 August instead, please indicate this in the registration form. In such cases, the workshop fee will be adjusted accordingly. The workshop is scheduled to begin at 09:00.
The workshop concludes at 13:30 on August 22 in Tjurpannan Nature Reserve. Afterward, buses will depart for Gothenburg, with an estimated arrival time of 16:00.
Organisation
Västkuststiftelsen (”The West Coast Foundation”) is a non-profit foundation that manages around 300 nature reserves across the west coast of Sweden – covering more than 50,000 hectares – on behalf of the County Administrative Boards of Västra Götaland and Halland. Heathlands are found in many of these reserves, and are maintained through prescribed burning, grazing, and selective clearing. Over the years, the foundation has worked actively to restore and sustain these habitats, often in collaboration with local stakeholders and landowners.
In addition to habitat management, the foundation coordinates large-scale coastal clean-up efforts, maintains regional hiking and cycling trails, and offers free guided walks to promote public engagement with nature.
Read more about Västkuststiftelsen at:
Kosterhavet National Park and the surrounding nature reserves are managed by a unit within the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland. Our office is situated locally on the Koster Islands, adjacent to the visitor center, naturum.
Heathlands are present on many of the islands and are largely maintained through controlled burning and grazing. Over the past two decades, significant efforts have been made to restore these heathlands. Nonetheless, there remain areas in need of further restoration.
Read more about Kosterhavet National Park at:
The County Administrative Boards are the most versatile of Sweden’s authorities. It is the legal regional authority responsible for regional physical planning, environmental monitoring and environmental protection. They are responsible for the regional implementation of decisions made by the government and the parliament. The main objective is a sustainable development of the region. One of the responsibilities is the management of Nature reserves and Natura 2000 areas in the region as well as actions for threatened species.
The County Administrative Board of Halland (CABN) manages around 32 000 hectares of nature reserves in the county of Halland (15 000 hectares land surface and 17 000 hectares water surface). CABN also manages a lot of places within the Natura 2000 areas. The county as total has almost 70 000 hectares within Natura 2000 areas. Some of the nature reserves consists of heathlands where the main management is controlled burning, fencing, clearing of overgrowth and grazing by cattle from local farmers. In some areas with endangered species the management also includes creating small-scale mosaics that offer a great variety of important microenvironments for the species. To achieve this, burning of small spots and soil disturbance to regain mosaic structures is used, together with adapted grazing regimes.
Read more about The County Administrative Board of Halland at: www.lansstyrelsen.se/halland
