Integrated planning of national parks and adjacent areas - possibilities and limits in cooperation for nature-based tourism and place making
Knut Björn Stokke, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas (NO)
In Norway, there have traditionally been a segregative approach to management of national parks, focusing on protecting nature from human activities. However, in recent years we have seen a more integrative approach, focusing on integration of nature based tourism, place making and nature conservation. One example is the national aim that all national parks shall make a visitor strategy, in order to highlight the value of the parks for nature-based tourism and place making. Another example is delegation of authority from the state (the County Governor) to inter-municipal boards with political representation. This make a potentially possibility to integrate the park management with local land use planning, because the politicians in the board also have responsibility for spatial planning for adjacent areas and communities nearby. It makes also a potentially opportunity for more cooperation and networks with representatives for nature based tourism and local communities. The aim for this paper is to highlight these possibilities and limits, based on recent research output from the Varanger Peninsula National Park in the far north of the Norwegian mainland. In addition, we will draw on research experiences from some other national parks in Norway.