Railway construction on Gotland

Part 1 - Knowledge acquisition

Plan for railway construction from Fårösund in northern Gotland to Burgsvik in southern Gotland. The students should investigate and gather information about various conditions and interests to plan an optimal railway route. Some aspects to consider include the environment and tourism. The railway construction will impact the environment both during the construction phase and afterward when the trains are operational. At the same time, train transportation enables sustainable communication and transportation, which can have positive effects on tourism in Gotland..

• Use Geoskolan's map tool to find the locations of Fårösund and Burgsvik in Gotland.
• Reflect, discuss, and propose the route of the railway between the towns. Consider drawing the route so that it reaches as many residents as possible.
• Let the train pass by as many attractions as possible. Search the internet to find tourist destinations.
• Are there any ancient monuments? Use the map tool.
• Are there any protected areas? Use the map tool.
• Use the drawing tool to indicate the route on the map.
• How did the old route of the Gotland railway go? Can it be useful in the planning?

Here's what to do:

1. Open Geoskolan's map tool.
2. Click on the Map Layers icon.
3. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the map layer “Samhälle” (Community).
4. Check the box “Totalbefolkning” (Total Population).
5. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the map layer “Fornminnen” (Archaeological Sites).
6. Check the box “Fornminnen” (Archaeological Sites).
7. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the map layer “Biologi” (Biology).
8. Check the box “Skyddade områden” (Protected Areas).

Recommended Reading:

• Ancient monuments and cultural heritage sites on the National Heritage Board's website (in Swedish, new window)
• Protected nature, Natura 2000 areas on the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's website (in Swedish, new window).
• Railway maps of Gotland from 1940-1953 and modern railway maps (gotlandstaget.se, in Swedish, new window)
• Traces of railways (gotland.se, in Swedish, new window)
• Railway construction law (riksdagen.se, in Swedish, new window)
• The impact of railway traffic on the environment and health (transportstyrelsen.se, in Swedish, new window)

Part 2 - Investigate and describe

Based on the route you have drawn in Geoskolan's map tool, investigate the following using the map layers:

• How do the differences in elevation look for your railway route? Use the map layer “Höjdmodell – terrängskuggning” (Elevation Model - Terrain Shading) to understand the conditions for the railway's route.
• Check if your railway route intersects with any protected areas, archaeological sites, or water protection areas.
• Adjust your railway route if necessary.

Here's what to do:

1. Open Geoskolan's map tool.
2. Click on the Map Layers icon.
3. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the map layer “Flygfoton och höjddata” (Aerial Photos and Elevation Data).
4. Check the Elevation box “Höjdmodell – Terrängskuggning” (Model - Terrain Shading).
5. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the map layer “Biologi”(Biology).
6. Check the box “Skyddade områden” (Protected Areas).
7. Click on the Legend icon to view the legend.
8. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the map layer “Fornminnen” (Archaeological Sites).
9. Check the box “Fornminnen” (Archaeological Sites).
10. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the map layer “Berg, jord och hydrologi” (Rock, Soil, and Hydrology).
11. Check the box “Vattenskyddsområden” (Water Protection Areas).

Describe and answer the following questions:

• Justify your railway route based on the terrain, visited tourist attractions, population density, etc.
• Where are Gotland's archaeological sites concentrated? Why is that the case?
• Are there any locations on Gotland that are particularly vulnerable to factors such as drought, land uplift, rising sea levels, or flooding?
  
  

Part 3 - Presentation

Prepare and present your railway route with answers to the questions in the previous tasks.

Discuss the following questions in your presentation:

• Is it environmentally appropriate to build a railway on Gotland?
• What impact could the new railway route have on tourism in Gotland?