ABSTRACT
Mountains in the Swedish north have historically been depicted as "sleeping giants", with huge potential as reserves for minerals in an industrial economy, a strong tradition in the Swedish mountain region. However, Sweden's mountain landscapes also have a long history of human use and mobility, which together with biophysical processes have continuously reshaped the environment. Pathways thus provide, at the same time, cultural heritage and a venue, or space, where new lifestyles and approaches to landscape experiences have been, and continue to be, negotiated. This chapter outlines the importance of walking trails as management tools in areas where different interest groups co-exist. Trails are functional, deeply rooted in tradition, and serve as useful tools of governance and management by steering local inhabitants, as well as visitors, and thus limiting stress on ecologies and heritage. Trails represent lines of information in the landscape and, as such, can, if wisely managed, constitute arenas for conflict management.
