Hei, Hej, Hej, Halló, Moi, Sveiki!
Here is an update on what has been going on in the VIMAS project lately (as of July 2026), including some highlights from Training School 3 and what's next for the project.
🌿 VIMAS Training School 3: From Policy to Action🌿
In June 2026, the third and final VIMAS Training School (TS3) was successfully completed, focusing on the theme "Visitor management in nature areas under pressure: from policy to action". The program began with a digital introduction in May before participants gathered for ten intensive days in Sweden and Norway. The journey started at Mid Sweden University in Östersund, continued through the landscapes of Vålådalen, and concluded at Hjerkinn and Dovrefjell in Norway.
Highlights from TS3
• Diverse Perspectives: Lectures covered a broad range of topics, including Indigenous peoples' rights, environmental policy design, and multifunctional landscapes.
• Agency Interaction: The group visited the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet) in Trondheim to discuss national outdoor recreation goals and visitor strategies.
• Field-Based Learning: Practical sessions included exploring trail management in Vålådalen Nature Reserve, visiting the Snøhetta Viewpoint, and conducting a musk ox safari to discuss visitor monitoring and management in alpine terrain. And yes, we saw plenty of musk ox!
• Skill Development: Workshops were held on communicating science beyond academia and overcoming challenges in thesis writing.
A special thank you!
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the organizers Peter Fredman, Øystein Aas, and Sandra Wall-Reinius for coordinating such a comprehensive and successful final Training School.
What’s Next: Conference Season 2026
VIMAS is proud to announce that we are sponsoring two major upcoming conferences this autumn:
• The 34th Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research: Taking place in Reykjavík, Iceland, from October 6–8, 2026. The theme is "Tourism in a Changing World: An Active Agent for Good?".
• The 13th International Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitors in Recreational and Protected Areas (MMV13): Held in Valencia, Spain, from November 3–6, 2026. The main theme is "Striking a balance between sustainable management and efficient visitor reception".
We look forward to seeing many VIMAS researchers, both PhD candidates and PIs, contributing to these important forums.
For more information about VIMAS and upcoming events, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.
Fresh Insights: New Blog Posts and Norwegian Translations
Our PhD candidates have been actively refining their research communication skills and we are excited to announce the release of several completely new blog posts! In addition, we have also translated many of our previous blog posts into Norwegian to make our research findings more accessible to a broader Scandinavian audience.
The most recent blog posts are:
- • "Reflecting on Visitor Data for Landscapes with Multiple Actors" by Elena Pibernik: A reflection on how trust and history shape the way different stakeholders view visitor data.
- • "A snapshot of LUKE’s work in outdoor recreation: secondment at the Natural Resources Institute Finland" by Zsolt Kazai: An introduction to LUKE and Zsolts research stay there.
- • "Listening to the rhythm of fieldwork" by Noelien Wilsnach: An exploration of soundscape tourism in Femundsmarka National Park.
- • "Halfway through the PhD journey: Reflections on progress, opportunities, challenges, and the journey ahead" by Saumya Rathnayake: A reflection on reaching the midpoint of the PhD, emphasizing the importance of collaboration.
Questions, suggestions or collaboration?
If you have any questions, suggestions or any other input, send us an email!
Øystein Aas, Project Leader: oystein.aas@nmbu.no
Veronica Blumenthal, Project Coordinator: vebl8672@nmbu.no