Abstract

Wild animals, plants and fungi harvested in a sustainable manner from managed ecosystems offers opportunities as a complementary resource as well as an emergency national food security measure. A prerequisite is availability and access. In Sweden, both apply. Sweden is a vast country with rich populations of terrestrial game species, opportunities for semi-domestic husbandry, a long coast and many inland waters and plentiful production of plant and fungal resource. In addition, the Swedish regulation ‘right of public access’ to land and vegetative recourses such as berries and mushrooms make parts of the resources accessible to all. Finally, in addition to being a resource, wild and semi-domestic animals along with plants and fungi are vital components in the landscape and a basic fundament for biological diversity and functional ecosystems. Thus, a balanced and sustainable utilization offers multiple opportunities.

Keywords: Wildlife; Plants; Fungi; Food; Sustainability; Food security; Biodiversity