Keynote speech by Mr Børge Brende, Minister of the Environment, EUROPARC 2003 , Stryn, 29.08.03

Protected Areas: striking the balance between nature conservation and local economic development - a Norwegian perspective

I am delighted to have this opportunity to speak to a conference of specialists working with nature conservation and national parks -- and at the same time to announce a most appropriate gift to coming generations!

Today we have established Norway's 20th national park:-- Møysalen National Park in Vesterålen.

We have also extended two existing parks: Børgefjell and Upper Pasvik.

Møysalen National Park embraces a landscape that is both spectacular and unique, and exceptionally varied -- ranging from coastal alpine mountains to rich deciduous woodlands, colourful cultural sites... and, of course, the magnificent fjords.

There are a number of legends about Møysalen. In one legend, two mountains are thought to represent two beautiful virgins, or "møyene" in the Norwegian language. Naturally enough, other mountains represent the many suitors competing for the hands of the young ladies. In particular, a mountain on the Helgeland coast known as Hestmannen -- the Horseman -- and another in the Lofoten islands called Vågakallen -- the Old Man -- competed for the more beautiful of the two virgins... and Vågakallen won.

Here at Møysalen today, we can see what all the fuss was about. It is only fitting that this most beautiful of mountains should be declared a national park -- ensuring that its beauty will last forever, protected from any harmful activities.

Her Majesty Queen Sonja has visited Lofoten and Møysalen several times and knows the area very well.

UN secretary-general Kofi Annan has travelled in Norway several times, visiting Lofoten -- not far from Møysalen -- and Aurlandsdalen, a beautiful valley not far from where we are now.

During one of his visits, Kofi Annan was philosophising about the strong connection between children's joy in nature and their care for its future. He said:

"One of the most important tasks in life is to let children experience nature -- whether one is a parent, a teacher, a politician or Secretary General of the United Nations. Children are the future -- it is our responsibility to hand over a healthy planet to them, and today we do not take this challenge very seriously.

Nature gives children -- and adults for that matter -- the possibility of gaining insight into the basic character of environmental problems without unnecessary complications, and without needing unnecessarily difficult words and concepts.

If one learns to love nature, then one will do one's best to take care of it. Nature speaks to the heart and it is that language which in the last instance will have to convince us all about what has to be done."

Wise words indeed!

Of the two national parks we have extended today, Børgefjell National Park is very special to me. I more or less grew up there. Before I had even learned to walk, my parents drew me across the snows of Børgefjell in a sleigh.

And they gave me the name "Børge" -- after this large mountain area.

Børgefjell is one of the largest wilderness areas still intact in Norway. It was adopted as a National Park as early as 1963.

The arctic fox, which is in danger of extinction, lives and breeds in Børgefjell. Only 50 individuals are left, and safeguarding their habitat is vital if we are to save the species from extinction. The area is also important for raptors -- predatory birds, including owls -- and wetland bird species.

The Lapps have traditionally used Børgefjell for herding reindeer. The area is therefore also important to their culture and way of life.

Last week I visited Upper Pasvik National Park. This park is located in the far north along the Russian and Finnish borders.

In this park we find a vast area of virgin forest and wetlands of great importance for birds. The rich and varied wildlife of the area includes brown bear.

Norway's national parks cover an extraordinary range of landscapes and habitats, the likes of which few if any other European countries can offer.

For example: last May, the American magazine Newsweek published an article on national parks without crowds.

Femundsmarka National Park was one of only two European parks listed as scenic oases.

Femundsmarka was established in 1971 -- and its protected area was enlarged by 40 per cent earlier this year. This important wilderness region especially warrants protection because it supports populations of Norway's four large mammal predators: wolf, bear, lynx and wolverine.

Geiranger is one of the world's great tourist destinations -- a fjord landscape like no other.

Its dramatic natural environment, and the cultural landscape created by countless generations of smallholders, are what make Geiranger unique -- and a natural choice for our nomination as a candidate for inclusion in the World heritage list! Geiranger is one of the most important international attractions in Norway, drawing almost 700.000 visitors every year.

I think Her Majesty Queen Sonja also supports the nomination of Geiranger. Her lovely book "Klangbunn", which came out last year, is a tribute to the mountains, fjords and cultural landscape of this magnificent area.

Since this government was formed in October 2001, nearly 200 nature conservation areas have been established in Norway -- nearly 8000 square kilometres!

Never before has more Norwegian nature been protected in such a short time!

And there are even more national parks to come.

When our Master Plan is implemented, probably by 2010, we will have approximately 35 National Parks in Norway. This means that 13-14 per cent of the Norwegian mainland will have been protected for future generations.

Now, let's take a closer look at what makes Norway and its national parks so special.

Norway's majestic and sparsely populated landscape, with its vast areas of wilderness, offers a diversity of natural wonders -- glaciers and fjords, islands and mountains, dramatic waterfalls... the dazzling midnight sun at one extreme, and the more subtle splendours of a winter wonderland at the other.

An exciting variety of habitats support a surprisingly rich flora and fauna -- from oak forests in the mild southern part of the country to the stark beauty of the coastline in the high Arctic -- apparently empty, but in fact teeming wit life.

In particular, Norway still has large areas of mountain wilderness intact.

These are unique and must be protected -- although they are certainly not the only ones. Many different habitat types have been protected as nature reserves: 31 areas of broad-leaved woodland on the West Coast were protected last June alone.

Norwegian wildlife can seem positively exotic. You will find species here that are rare if not unique -- wild reindeer, Arctic fox and wild salmon are just a few examples.

Nowhere else in the world will you find elm, hazel, oak and ash woods so far north as in Norway. These woodland areas are also rich habitats for rare and endangered species. Here is yet another special responsibility -- to protect these outposts in the far north.

Other habitats that have been protected include coniferous forests, mires, river deltas and coastal landscapes -- from the south to the north.

In short, I see nature conservation is one of my highest priorities as Norwegian Minister of Environment!

Here in Norway we started to establish national parks in 1962 – three years before I was born! Protected areas are still the cornerstone of any national and regional conservation strategy.

But the concept of nature conservation has evolved over the centuries. What started as a need to protect royal or aristocratic hunting grounds has been transformed to a concern for safeguarding our common natural heritage.

The preservation of biodiversity and scenic beauty is still a main objective of area protection. But we have now come to recognize just how many other considerations are involved.

In addition to biodiversity and landscape preservation, we also see the importance of nature conservation to science and education, recreation and tourism. The tourism industry, in fact, is probably the largest and fastest growing industry in the world -- so we see that nature conservation is also a prerequisite for the industries of tomorrow:

Our future well-being -- or even survival -- also depends on it.

We are constantly increasing our understanding of the importance of protecting -- through the establishment of protected areas -- such key ecosystem services as soil protection and water regulation. These in turn play vital roles in alleviating or even preventing the worst effects of many natural disasters -- from flooding and landslides to drought, famine and disease.

Our aim is to tailor the establishment and management of protected areas to these underlying principle and objectives. In this regard, we welcome in particular the work of IUCN and their categorization of protected areas.

CSD, Johannesburg and IUCN

Before I continue my discussion of these issues at national level, I would like to take a look at some of them from an international perspective.

The World Summit in Johannesburg last year reaffirmed our commitment to sustainable development.

But we must also ensure that the World Summit marks a turning point -- from words to action.

As the newly elected Chairman of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development, I see the transformation of words into action, and a focus on implementation, as our main challenge.

I would like to see the CSD measure progress in terms of target deadlines. I want to see real pressure on us to deliver.

It is most important that we show tangible results in the most crucial areas in the fight against poverty and environmental degradation.

We must not, yet again, merely rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

The participating countries in Johannesburg agreed to work towards a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010. This is a challenge to all of us, and reinforces the need for an international framework of guidelines for protection of nature.

The purpose of the IUCN World Parks Congress in Durban next month is to follow-up and start the practical implementation of the agreements of the World Summit in Johannesburg. A specific objective is the mobilization of other international organisations in following-up the World Summit commitment to achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010.

In this respect a set of recommendations will be put to the forthcoming Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biodiversity. Our delegation to the Congress has agreed to coordinate this initiative. We also look forward to contributing to the other main items on the agenda in Durban -- in particular, the work on marine protected areas.

The Congress will support the establishment of a "representative global system of protected areas" to be completed by 2015, and the linking of all protected areas into "wider ecological/environmental systems on land and at sea" by 2020. Both of these goals have our fullest support.

We are especially concerned about the need to protect coral reefs, including the less well-known but also threatened cold-water coral reefs.

UNEP will play an important role in Durban, cooperating with IUCN to build up a specific initiative on marine conservation -- and Norway, of course, wants to play its part in this initiative.

Nature and the Norwegians

Nature -- and especially the mountains -- means a lot to us Norwegians. It is a part of our national identity and a fundamental element in our lives.

When scientists ask us about quality of life, 95 per cent of us mention the value of "nature". More than 70 per cent want to spend more time outdoors, and 85 per cent think that outdoor activities are a central element in bringing up our children.

Trekking in the forests and mountains, riding bicycles and skiing are the most popular of these activities.

A great many Norwegians are keen hikers, and increasingly go to the mountains for their holidays.

The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association has shown the way to the most magnificent experiences of Norwegian scenery for about 135 years.

Almost 200,000 of Norway's 4.5 million inhabitants are members of the association. A recruitment drive aimed at families with children has brought in more than 15,000 new memberships. A summer camp for families was overwhelmed by applicants.

The Touring Association has evolved into Norway's biggest outdoor leisure organisation, with local branches all over the country operating a network of nearly 400 low-priced mountain cabins for hikers.

The cabins are run on an honesty system. Members, carrying their own food and equipment, are given a universal key to several cabins; on departure, they leave their rent in a small strongbox and clean up after themselves.

In my opinion, this system is unique – and says a lot about our attitude to nature and to each other.

Protected areas and tourism

Industry analysts think the most popular tourist attractions in the future will be the largest mountains, the deepest oceans and the most remote locations on the globe.

You will find all of these in Norway – for example, here on the West Coast and to the north in Lofoten.

A major goal for me is to protect our unique mountain nature as a basis for outdoor recreation.

When we celebrated the "UN's International Year of The Mountains" last year, we decided to organize a competition to choose the "National Mountain of Norway". The Touring Association joined forces with a popular radio-program to vote for the most spectacular mountain peak.

Nearly 60,000 listeners called in to vote -- indicating a tremendously high level of engagement in our natural heritage.

Ten per cent of the Norwegian mainland is now protected as national parks, landscape areas, and nature reserves under the Nature Conservation Act.

Our aim is to increase that proportion to 13-14 per cent by 2010!

By then we will also have reached the IUCN target for our mountain areas; that ten percent of each habitat type should be protected.

Our national parks are classified as category II of the IUCN system. While continuing to promote sound management of our national parks, there is still room for more tourist activity in these areas.

I would at this point like to emphasize the fact that Norwegians are the beneficiaries of a rather special tradition: an ancient right of access to the countryside, regardless of who owns the land.

This very important "right to roam" encourages a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities throughout the year – for example, the right to hike in protected areas.

Tourism is a very important Norwegian industry -- the third largest in the country.

More and more people live in cities, and the Norwegian wilderness areas are exotic tourist destinations for people from densely populated regions in Europe.

We know that silence is important for many visitors to recreational areas, and perhaps especially the mountains.

We see solitude and silence as something unique to Norwegian nature, and an important aspect of the "brand" for a high-quality product.

A tour in a sledge drawn by dogs is for many tourists more exciting than a snowmobile safari. Here is a perfect example of what Norway has to offer.

From our point of view, tourism helps create jobs in areas where employment is scarce. Most rural areas in Norway have come to depend to some extent on nature-based tourism.

Tourism development in this very region is a case in point. The establishment of the Jostedal Glacier National Park has helped to build up successful industries in nearby communities.

In the past decade or so, ten National Park Centres have been established in Norway, each wit a unique profile reflecting the variety of Norwegian nature.

For example, Breheimen National Park Centre, on the south side of the Jostedal glacier,

• features exhibitions showing the historical development of the glacier landscape and the local cultural history

• slide–series presenting the glacier landscape through the seasons
• interactive presentations of the Nigard glacier
• a climbing wall for children
• a public Internet station
• guided glacier trips
• evening cultural arrangements

Four or five new centres are expected to be established during the next few years.

Many of these centres are the result of strong local initiatives. Such local involvement is vital.

Local people often know best the importance of experiencing our natural and cultural heritage, and of outdoor recreation. In nature, "to know it is to love it".

- And what we love, we want to protect!

Several studies of our national parks have looked at the comprehensive range of industries connected to tourism. In most of the parks, these include

accommodation and services for hikers, hunters and anglers. Some firms also offer guiding, horse riding, river paddling and teaching at outdoor pursuits centres.

A few examples:

• In Reisa National Park in northern Norway you can combine hiking and touring with trips on a traditional river-boat
• Saltfjellet/Svartisen: adventure climbing on ”blue ice”
• Dovrefjell: guided musk ox safaris
• Femundsmarka: walks or hikes and canoeing
• Jostedalsbreen: glacier-walking

There is plenty of scope for more such enterprises -- but only as long as they do not negatively affect the natural environment

Eco-tourism has a great potential for economic development in relation to many protected areas. But there "must be something in it" for the local people.

If they can be provided with job opportunities as guides or tourist establishment workers, local people see formal protection of nature in `a much more positive light.

When eco-tourism development and respect for and protection of local culture go hand in hand, you create the firmest basis for constructive cooperation. But here again, a participatory approach is crucial.

We also have be very strict in our definition of "eco-tourism" in, or in relation to, protected areas. Here we should act with nature's own preconditions in mind.

Any development of economic activity in relation to protected areas must be carefully planned and monitored. And the totality of influences on the area must be seen in context. A number of small, presumably insignificant, disturbances may be more negative for the conservation objectives than one major factor!

To conclude:

Nature conservation is a priority task for me as Minister of Environment in Norway.

We intend to establish 35 National Parks in Norway before 2010.

Then 13-14 per cent of the mainland of Norway will have been protected for future generations.

Outdoor activities mean improvements in health and welfare for each of us

-- and enhanced potential for the development of rural areas.

There is room for more visitors in our mountains areas –- as long as the nature is not affected negatively.

I wish that more people could have the opportunity to experience Norwegian nature. Some of you got a taste yesterday experiencing Briksdalsbreen or Skålatårnet.

I am quite sure that wilderness and mountain areas will be even of greater value in the future, both for the local communities and for the urban population.

As John Muir, one of the founders of American environmental movement wrote in 1989:

Thousands of tired, stressed, nervous and over-civilized people begin to realize that to go to the mountains – is to go home. – That wilderness is a necessity and protected areas are useful – not only as sources for timber, energy and water supply – but as source for life.

Thank you for your attention!