fäbodar

Fäbodar are seasonal pastoral settlements in Sweden used for grazing livestock in forested areas during the summer. The word comes from fäbod, with bod meaning shelter or hut, and the practice is known as fäboddrift. Fäbodar were especially common in central and northern Sweden, with notable clusters in Dalarna, Uppland, Hälsingland and Jämtland, and they date from the medieval period, remaining active into the 19th century. The system declined with agricultural modernization, changes in forestry, and rural out-migration, though many sites survive as cultural heritage.

During the summer, cattle, goats and sheep (and sometimes pigs) were moved from home farms to forest pastures. Herders and caretakers lived in simple seasonal huts or cabins—fäbodar—arranged along forest clearings or ridges. The daily routine included tending the animals, milking, collecting fodder, and provisioning the camps; families would return to the main farm for winter. The network of fäbodar created a distinctive landscape and played a significant role in rural economy and social life for centuries.

Today, remnants of fäbodar are protected as cultural monuments and are featured in open-air museums or rural heritage sites. They are studied for insights into historic pasture management, rural mobility, and Swedish folk culture, including traditional fäbod songs and lore.