THE CO-ORANGERY

Tierp, a community-based municipality  

“Our societies today are dependent on welfare based on consumerism, putting great pressure on the climate and nature, and undermining the very essence of life. In a growing municipality such as Tierp with large areas of nature, there is an opportunity to work for preservation along with development to minimize anthropocentric impact and overconsumption. To do so, a shift of values from overconsumption of resources to soft values such as relationships between people, as well as people and landscape, is needed.

Tierp municipality takes a step forward in achieving self-sufficiency, and the starting point is to promote citizens as the main actors of change in the municipality. This will be achieved through interconnecting existing communities and habilitating new ones within the municipality, as developing collective interests and practices could be the first step towards a self-sufficient society. 

By facilitating platforms and meeting places, communities will have access to spaces to exchange knowledge and creativity around common local interests and resource use. The emergence of collectivity strengthens the sense of place and belonging, which allows the citizens to build and enhance the local identity. In turn, this will give rise to a shift, where the shaping of values will be in the hands of the inhabitants.
Tierp will be a self-sufficient, community-based municipality that provides its citizens with the infrastructure and opportunities needed for local initiatives to invest in and nourish their arising necessities.”