High levels of Hg in fish in Swedish lakes have been a problem along time in Sweden. The major concern is production and accumulation of the most toxic form of mercury; methyl mercury (MeHg). Consequently, in about half of our 83 000 lakes fish contain concentrations above the recommended limit for human consumption of 0,5 mg mercury per kg fresh weight (most of it in the form of MeHg). Consumption of fish containing too high levels of MeHg may cause problems for both humans and animals. Three major sources of MeHg in surface waters are: 1) runoff from terrestrial areas, 2) deposition from the atmosphere, and 3) internal production of MeHg in lakes and streams. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of clear-cutting on the concentration of Hg and MeHg into draining streams.

This paper constitiutes graduate work at the Swedish University of Agriculture Science, the Department of Urban and Rural Development, Ultuna. The main objective of this work has been, in part, using the municipality of Runby as an example, to test different inventory and analysis methods directed towards a sociotopic usage perspective. A secondary objective has been, based on knowledge obtained from current research results concerning the usage of green areas, to transfer the analysis results to a proposal for a free space planning over Runby. People living in the countryside often have good access to nature as well as access to a garden of their own. In the city, however, there are considerably less people that have access to a private outdoor spaces so the parks become a type of public living room for all the inhabitants. Through the lack of private green spaces and through the anonymity of the city, an inviting atmosphere is created towards spending time in the park.

As we travel more and more by train it becomes increasingly important that the time we spend traveling, is of great quality. This has been the foundation of this master thesis and has shaped the outcome of it. The traveling experience, that is, the experience of the landscape that flashes by outside the train window, is an important aspect in railway planning and an aspect that should be taken into greater consideration. The purpose of this master thesis has been to examine how to compose or improve the travel experience for an already planned high speed railway and how the travel experience can be combined with other aspects, which have claims on the landscape. This thesis is based on a literature study and a case study of Ostlänken. The work describes Ostlänken, a planned high speed railway in Sweden between Järna and Linköping, with top speeds at 300-320 kilometers per hour.