Criteria Used for Protection of Natural Areas in Sweden 1909–1986

We examined 15 criteria used for selection of 1175 natural areas protected by the Swedish Nature Conservation Act. We categorized criteria as “scientific,” having botanical, ornithological, and geological values, or “political,” having human‐oriented recreational, landscape, and cultural values. On average, 2.3 criteria were used per protected area, and number of criteria increased with size of area. The six major criteria in order of use were: recreational, botanical, landscape, geological, ornithological, and cultural values. Political criteria were as important as scientific ones for protection of Swedish nature. There were only minor historical changes in use of different criteria, except that recreational values increased strongly from 1965 to 1975. The average and median size of protected areas increased from 1960 onwards. Areas of recreational value were more common close to the three largest cities and were often large; areas of botanical value were often small. Areas of recreational or ornithological value were associated with lakes and the coast; areas of botanical and landscape value were associated with mountain and farmland. An ordination of areas with two or more criteria showed associations within the group of political and within the group of scientific criteria. Political criteria may be important in or close to populated areas during periods when urbanization and leisure increase; nationally, we plead for emphasis on biological criteria in future selection of protected areas.