So I've been following you for ages now, and I love your work. It really makes me want to go to visit Sweden to see the wildlife. Is Varmland particularly good for wildlife?
I suppose I'm asking if I'm getting a false idea of how much wildlife there is in Sweden or if varmland is an outlier with a particular abundance.
I'm from the UK (Wales) and I live in one of the best parts of Wales for wildlife, but it's still very very nature depleted. But you'd really think it wasn't as bad as it is based on the little patch where I live (hence the question about Varmland).
Thank you! That's a really thoughtful question, and I think the honest answer is "yes and no".
Värmland is certainly a very good place for wildlife. We have vast forests, many lakes and wetlands, a relatively low human population density, and large areas where you can spend hours without meeting another person. Around where I live it's not unusual to see roe deer, red squirrels, foxes, badgers, beavers and a huge variety of birds. Pine martens, moose and weasels are around too, although they're more elusive. Wolves, lynx and otters still exist here, but seeing them is rare.
That said, I don't think Värmland is necessarily an extreme outlier. Much of Sweden, especially outside the major cities and particularly further north, still offers excellent opportunities to experience wildlife. Sweden is a large country with a relatively small population, and much of that population is concentrated in urban areas.
However, I don't want to paint an overly romantic picture. Sweden is often perceived internationally as a country with pristine nature and strong conservation policies, but the reality is more complicated. We have experienced extensive forestry practices that have transformed large areas of forest, and several species have declined as a result. Moose numbers, for example, are considerably lower than they once were. There is also significant political and public hostility towards large predators in some parts of the country, which has contributed to declining populations of wolves, lynx and bears. In my view, Sweden was once more ambitious when it came to nature conservation than it is today.
So, if my photos give the impression that Sweden is an untouched wilderness full of wildlife, that wouldn't be entirely true. On the other hand, if you're patient, willing to get up early, and know where to look, there is still an incredible amount of wildlife to experience here. I certainly don't have to travel far to find it.
And perhaps that's the important part: every wildlife photographer shows a somewhat curated reality. I spend a lot of time outdoors, often returning to the same places over and over again. The wildlife is absolutely real, but so are the hours and days spent waiting for those moments to happen.
Personally, though, I do love "my" Värmland. For someone interested in wildlife and nature, I think it would be a wonderful place to visit.
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