Gävle named best outdoor municipality in Gävleborg

Gävle has been named the best outdoor municipality in Gävleborg county according to the Sweden's Outdoor Municipality 2026 report. Söderhamn was recognized as the county's most improved municipality.

Kristina Ljungros, Secretary General of Friluftsfrämjandet, highlighted the strategic importance of outdoor life, noting that 82 percent of children in the county do not meet the recommendation of one hour of daily physical activity. To address this, she proposed three measures for the next government: reintroducing mandatory outdoor days in schools, doubling funding for leader-led outdoor activities, and increasing LONA grants to help municipalities develop outdoor infrastructure and plans.

The awards, which include Sweden's Outdoor Municipality and Improver of the Year, are presented by Naturvårdsverket, Svenskt Friluftsliv, and the Swedish Association of Leisure and Culture Managers based on annual municipal surveys.