Utskiftingspunkt

Utskiftingspunkt is a term used in the Swedish land consolidation process (utskiftning) to denote a fixed reference point that anchors the redistribution of agricultural land and the establishment of new parcel boundaries. The word combines utskiftning (redistribution) and punkt (point).

Purpose and function: In utskiftning, scattered strips of land belonging to owners are reorganized into more coherent blocks to improve farm efficiency and land use. To ensure consistency and traceability, surveyors select one or more utskiftingspunkter on the terrain. These points serve as survey anchors from which the dimensions and directions of the new parcel boundaries are measured and recorded in the cadastral map and in the land register.

Selection and marking: The choice depends on terrain, existing features, access routes, and legal rights; once chosen, points are marked with durable markers and documented with coordinates. They act as the reference frame for subsequent boundary lines, corner marks, and area calculations.

Legal and historical context: The concept is rooted in historical land reform in Sweden, particularly during the 18th–19th centuries, though practical use persists in traditional documentation. Modern cadastral practice relies on parcel coordinates, official boundary markers, and digital maps, but the term may appear in historical records or regional descriptions of utskiftning projects.

See also: cadastral survey, land consolidation, lantmäteri, fastighetsbeteckning.