Photo: Kristin S. Karlsen
The main patterns of outdoor recreation in Norway have been relatively stable and very varied for the past 20 years. However, there have been some marked changes, and if anything, the variety of activities people enjoy has become even greater.
Less strenuous activities such as sunbathing, bathing and short walks near home and in the countryside dominate most people's holidays and leisure time. Cycling is another activity many people enjoy, and its popularity has grown considerably recently. Activities such as mountaineering, rafting, parachuting, etc. have also become more popular. They have received a great deal of attention in the mass media, even though the number of people who actually take part is fairly small.
Fishing is still a very popular activity, but town-dwellers fish less than people who live in the country, and young people less than adults. Cross-country skiing has become less popular among young people.
The number of people who pick berries is sinking, but in North Norway large numbers of people still collect cloudberries. In contrast, it is mainly people from the towns who pick mushrooms. The number of hunters is rising and now includes 10 per cent of the male population over 16 years of age. The proportion of women who are hunters is low but rising.
People who take part in outdoor activities usually become interested in nature conservation and understand its importance. Outdoor recreation also helps to improve people's physical and mental health. Recent research shows that even a moderate level of activity (for example a regular half-hour walk to work) has a positive effect.
Certain outdoor activities, such as mountain biking, can have negative impact on the environment because they damage the terrain and may cause erosion. This is also a problem along heavily used paths and at sites where people often camp. Some areas are more vulnerable than others: for example, the vegetation in boggy areas and in pine forest on sandy ground is very easily damaged and worn away by walkers.
Different groups of users may also come into conflict with each other - for example, cyclists with hikers and people who are rafting with anglers.
Access to the countryside under pressure
The right of access to the countryside is of fundamental importance for outdoor recreation in Norway, but is under pressure today for a number of reasons. The kinds of developments that can cause problems include the introduction of charges for access to areas that have traditionally been open to everyone and the privatization of uncultivated areas. The expansion of tourism based on our natural and cultural heritage can also restrict other people's opportunities.
Opportunities for children and adolescents to take part in outdoor recreation are of crucial importance for the future of outdoor recreation. Children and young people spend much of their time in organized activities indoors nowadays, and in time, this may result in a reduction in outdoor activities. In the long run, this may have very negative effects on the health of the population and people's views on environmental issues.
Easy access to areas that are suitable for outdoor recreation is essential, whether they are near people's homes, along the coast, in the forests or in the mountains. And people are more likely to use these areas if the environmental quality is high - if they can experience peace and quiet, for example, and if the water is clean and there is no litter on the beach.
White paper on outdoor recreation
The right of free access to the countryside must be maintained, and areas that are suitable for outdoor recreation must be safeguarded. A new white paper on outdoor recreation was published by the end of 2001. This document set out a framework for outdoor recreation activities.
The new curriculum for primary and lower secondary schools includes opportunities for outdoor recreation activities as part of the school day. Further measures are needed to help teachers put these opportunities into practice.
NGOs have an important role to play in helping to provide access and facilities for outdoor activities and in encouraging and promoting outdoor recreation. To do this, they need a stable framework and adequate resources. A system of grants for activities run by NGOs is one source of financial resources.
As part of the follow up of the White paper on outdoor recreation, the National association for outdoor recreation (FRIFO), was given the responsibility for implementing the National year of outdoor recreation in 2005.
FRIFO developed the following two main targets for the project:
- in order to enhance outdoor recreational activities, it is necessary to mobilise the wider public
- make the diversity of different outdoor recreational opportunities more visible and also to focus on the importance of such activities to society as a whole.