List of national parks of Norway

Map of mainland national parks

National parks (green), nature reserves (purple), geotope protection areas (orange) and bird sanctuaries of Svalbard

Norway has 41 national parks, of which 34 are on the mainland and 7 on Svalbard.

Geography and history

At least 60% of Norway's area is mountainous, lakes or bogs (non-arable land, some of it is used as pastures); 37% is forest of various kinds; and only 3% arable land. It is estimated that between 1900 and 2003 areas more than 5 km from intense construction activity has decreased from 48% to 12% in Norway.

Until about one hundred years ago there was relatively little threat to ecosystems in Norway. The first initiatives to protect land were voiced in 1904, by Yngvar Nielsen, foreman of the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT). The association continued to lobby cases in 1923 and 1938. The natural protection act of 1954 prepared a legal basis for establishing protection areas, and the two first national parks were established in 1962 and 1963. The act of 1954 also established Statens naturvernråd ("Governmental Natural protection council") as a counceling body for the government. The council presented a draft for further natural protecting in 1964, suggesting 16 national parks. These suggestions were approved by Stortinget. It took 25 years, until 1989, before 15 of their suggestions were fulfilled. The 16th suggetion became a naturreservat. The oouncil presented another suggestion in 1986,^[1] and this was approved by Stortinget in April 1993. Following this approval, a "second generation" of national parks, as well as expanding borders for the elder, were established from 2001.

The post-industrial era that started in the last 1960s saw areas being protected as national parks or other protected status as a means to regulate the construction of vacation homes, roads, fishing, hunting, and gathering plants. This trend has accelerated in the last 10 years. In addition to preserving rare plant and animal life, areas are protected to maintain reference points for environmental research, recreational resources for Norwegians, and as an inheritance for future generations. The Directorate for Nature Management maintains indicators for the health of nature in Norway, including such measures as biological diversity, erosion, signs of pollution.

For the most part, national parks are open to hiking, cross-country skiing and camping. Most have a limited number of overnight cabins.

In addition to national parks, the Norwegian government has designated larger areas for protection. Included in these areas are 153 landscapes covering 14071 km²; 1,701 nature reserves covering 3,418 km²; 24 national parks covering 21,650 km²; 102 natural memorials, and 98 smaller protected areas. This accounts for 12.1% of Norway's mainland area.

The Norwegian government aims to increase this area over time to at least 15%. They have signalled an interest in preserving marine ecosystems, including the fjords of the western parts of Norway, and the archipelago southwest from Oslo.

Current

Name	County(s)	Established	Area (land, km2)	Area (land, sq mi)	Area (total, km2)	Area (total, sq mi)	Description	Ref
Anderdalen !Ånderdalen	Troms	1970	125	48	125	48		[2]
Blåfjella–Skjækerfjella	Nord-Trøndelag	2004	1,924	743	1,924	743		[2]
Breheimen	Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane	2009	1,671	645	1,671	645
Borgefjell !Børgefjell	Nord-Trøndelag, Nordland	1963	1,447	559	1,447	559		[2]
Dovre	Oppland	2003	289	112	289	112		[2]
Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella	Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Sør-Trøndelag	1974	1,693	654	1,693	654		[2]
Femundsmarka	Hedmark, Sør-Trøndelag	1971	573	221	573	221		[2]
Folgefonna	Hordaland	2005	545	210	545	210		[2]
Forlandet	Svalbard	1973	616	238	4,647	1,794		[3]
Forollhogna	Sør-Trøndelag, Hedmark	2001	1,062	410	1,062	410		[2]
Gutulia	Hedmark	1968	23	8.9	23	8.9		[2]
Hallingskarvet	Buskerud, Hordaland	2006	450	170	450	170
Hardangervidda	Buskerud, Hordaland, Telemark	1981	3,422	1,321	3,422	1,321		[2]
Indre Wijdefjorden	Svalbard	2005	745	288	1,127	435		[3]
Jostedalsbreen	Sogn og Fjordane	1991	1,310	510	1,310	510		[2]
Jotunheimen	Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane	1980	1,151	444	1,151	444		[2]
Junkerdal	Nordland	2004	682	263	682	2634		[2]
Langsua	Oppland	2011	537	207	537	207
Lierne	Nordland	2004	333	129	333	129		[2]
Lomsdal–Visten	Nordland	2004	682	263	682	263
Møysalen	Nordland	2003	51	20	51	20
Nordenskiöld Land	Svalbard	2003	155	60	1,362	526		[3]
Nordre Isfjorden	Svalbard	2003	2,050	790	2,954	1,141		[3]
Nordvest-Spitsbergen	Svalbard	1973	3,684	1,422	9,914	3,828		[3]
Ovre Dividal !Øvre Dividal	Troms	1971	750	290	750	290		[2]
Ovre Anarjohka !Øvre Anárjohka	Finnmark	1975	1,390	540	1,390	540		[2]
Ovre Pasvik !Øvre Pasvik	Finnmark	1970	119	46	119	46		[2]
Rago	Nordland	1971	171	66	171	66		[2]
Reinheimen	Oppland, Møre og Romsdal	2006	1,969	760	1,969	760
Reisa	Troms	1986	803	310	803	310		[2]
Rohkunborri	Troms	2011	571	220	571	220
Rondane	Hedmark, Oppland	1962	963	372	803	310		[2]
Saltfjellet–Svartisen	Nordland	1989	2,102	812	2,102	812		[2]
Sassen – Bünsow Land	Svalbard	2003	1,157	447	1,230	470		[3]
Seiland	Finnmark	2006	316	122	316	122
Sjunkhatten	Nordland	2010	417	161	417	161
Skarvan and Roltdalen	Nord-Trøndelag, Sør-Trøndelag	2004	441	170	441	170		[2]
Sor-Spitsbergen !Sør-Spitsbergen	Svalbard	1973	5,030	1,940	13,286	5,130		[3]
Stabbursdalen	Finnmark	1970	747	288	747	288		[2]
Varangerhalvøya	Finnmark	2006	1,804	697	1,804	697
Ytre Hvaler	Østfold	2009	14	5.4	354	137

Former

Name	County	Established	Disestablished	Area (land, km2)	Area (land, sq mi)	Replaced by	Ref
Gressåmoen	Nord-Trøndelag	1970	2004	182	70	Blåfjella–Skjækerfjella
Ormtjernkampen	Oppland	1968	2011	9	3	Langsua	[2]

Planned

National park	County	Size km²	Outdoor recreational facilities provided
Dåapma [4]	Nord-Trøndelag	261
Fulufjellet [5]	Hedmark	385
Làhku [6]	Nordland	188
Muvrrešáhpi National Park [7]	Finnmark	291	No
Preikestolen [8]	Rogaland	215	Marked trails
Saltfjellet–Svartisen National Park (extension)[9]	Nordland	Additional 120	Marked trails
Treriksrøysa[10]	Troms	?	Unmarked trails and a hut.
Tysfjord–Hellemobotn [11]	Nordland	~1000	Boat to Hellemobotn
Øvre Anarjohka (extension)[12]	Finnmark	additional 624.6	A gravel road.

References

1. ^ Ny landsplan for nasjonalparker / fra en arbeidsgruppe oppnevnt 3. september 1982 ; utredningen avgitt til Miljøverndepartementet april 1986. Oslo, 1986 (Norges offentlige utredninger ; NOU 1986: 13). ISBN 82-00-71038-6
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x} "Maps and information" (PDF). Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management. http://english.dirnat.no/multimedia/48381/Kart-og-informasjon-eng.pdf. Retrieved 21 August 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Protected Areas in Svalbard". Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management. http://www.dirnat.no/attachment.ap?id=1043. Retrieved 14 May 2010. 
4. ^ "Utredning Dåapma nasjonalpark" (Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Nord-Trøndelag. http://www.fylkesmannen.no/fagom.aspx?m=2877&amid=3424806. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
5. ^ "Forslag til opprettelse av Fulufjellet nasjonalpark og Fregn naturreservat" (Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Hedmark. http://www.fylkesmannen.no/55124_Fylkesmannen_Fulufjellet_WEB_jUBS5g78386EB.pdf.file. Retrieved 15 November 2010. 
6. ^ "Opprettelse av Làhku nasjonalpark i Beiarn, Gildeskål og Meløy kommuner, Nordland fylke" (Norwegian). Direktoratet for naturforvaltning. http://www.dirnat.no/content/500041701/Opprettelse-av-Lhku-nasjonalpark-i-Beiarn-Gildeskal-og-Meloy-kommuner-Nordland-fylke. Retrieved 20 April 2011. 
7. ^ "DN tilrår nasjonalpark og landskapsvernområde i Goahteluoppal" (Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Finnmark. http://www.fylkesmannen.no/fagom.aspx?m=1893&amid=3478832. Retrieved 07 January 2011. 
8. ^ "Preikestolen nasjonalpark" (Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Rogaland. http://www.fylkesmannen.no/enkel.aspx?m=36570&amid=3029788. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
9. ^ "Informasjon om utvidelse av Saltfjellet-Svartisen nasjonalpark" (Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Troms. http://www.fylkesmannen.no/hoved.aspx?m=51194&amid=2347737. Retrieved 18 June 2009. 
10. ^ "Knapt med tid for Treriksrøysa" (Norwegian). lokalavisa.no. 01/09 2008. http://www.lokalavisa.no/artikkel.php?aid=44185. Retrieved 18 June 2009. 
11. ^ "Milepæl for sikring av samiske- og miljøinteresser" (Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Nordland. http://www.fylkesmannen.no/hoved.aspx?m=2527&amid=1275585. Retrieved 18 June 2009. 
12. ^ "Verneplan - mulig utvidelse av Øvre Anárjohka nasjonalpark" (Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Finnmark. http://www.fylkesmannen.no/fagom.aspx?m=1887&amid=2469282. Retrieved 18 September 2009. 

External links

• National Park Visistor Centers
• Directorate for Nature Management
  • Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management's web site on National parks in Norway
  • Brouchures about National parks in Norway