Free or trap 2.0 is a national guide developed by the National Heritage Board in collaboration with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Transport Administration and the Church of Sweden, among others. The aim is to facilitate work with trees in public environments and to contribute to better collaboration between different actors.

The guide is aimed at those who plan, care for or make decisions about trees. Regardless of whether you work for a government agency, in a municipality, at a housing company or as a consultant.

Making decisions about trees often involves complex trade-offs between different values. It is important to take into account, among other things, biotope protection, cultural environment legislation and other rules regarding liability, safety and the work environment. By working in a structured way with known conditions on site, decisions become more sustainable and well-founded.

In the updated version (Free or Trap 2.0), there are two methods for handling tradeoffs:

• Method A : For simpler cases where the decision basis is clear.

• Method B : For more complex cases with multiple conflicting interests.

The manual also provides guidance on how different tree environments, with high natural, cultural-historical or social values, can be managed with consideration for their unique character.

Visit the National Heritage Board's website to read the full tutorial Free or Trap 2.0 .

To make the work easier, we offer our own fillable tables based on Free or Trap 2.0. They can be used directly in the field or during planning work to document values, risks and decision-making data in a structured way.