parks

If you're in the been-there, done-that traveler club, here's something to add to your next itinerary: Kosterhavet, Sweden's first national marine park, has just opened. It's about 175 square miles, most of it open ocean, home to some 600 marine species. The park's northern water boundary is shared with Norway, and in fact Kosterhavet National Park runs right into Norway's new marine national park, Ytre Hvaler, which opened at the same time. Together, both parks encompass about 300 square miles.

Kosterhavet gets its name for the land that it surrounds, the Koster Islands, which are themselves a nature reserve. North Koster and South Koster are so close together that they really feel like one island, and together they're the westernmost settled area in Sweden. They're also ridiculously charming -- near the water, they're just what you'd picture a small Scandinavian fishing village to look like, and towards the center, it's all rolling countryside ripe for hiking and cycling, dotted with red-roofed houses.

But of course, the main event is what's below the surface. The water separating Koster Islands from Sweden's main land is actually a fjord, which achieves such a depth that it's home to deep sea species. Kosterhavet also includes Sweden's only cold-water coral reef, which makes for excellent cold-water scuba diving -- the rocky coast also means that there are also a number of shipwrecks to check out beneath the waves. Above the water, a sea kayak is the way to go --- take a look at Sweden's largest population of seals, and from a respectful distance, admire nesting areas for Arctic terns.

Now that the economy has forced so many Americans to enjoy the simpler pleasures in life, public green space is, unlike your 401(k), more valuable than ever. Since 1972, nonprofit land conservation org Trust for Public Land has protected over 2.5 million acres of land in 47 states -- forests, farms, community gardens, parks and wildlife habitats.

The Trust for Public Land recently helped a small Florida city get its first public park and negotiated the re-opening of a free-fallling waterfall and favorite ice climb in Telluride, Colorado (Bridal Veil Falls, above).

The nonprofit has 45 regional offices across the country to work with local residents and organizations intent upon conserving particular properties. Contact The Trust for Public Land if you have an inquiry about a particular piece of property that needs protection. Or support The Trust for Public Land, which has been recognized for its efficient use of individual donations.