Following on from the visit in March of five Norwegian researchers, Chris Short and John Powell are travelling to Norway to visit some of the case studies on the GOVOUT (Governing the Outfield) project.
Outfields in Norway refer to the open landscapes that have not been enclosed. This makes up about three quarters of the land areas.
Based on Bodø in northern Norway the project team will look at sites of renewable energy and growing tourism, including a copper mine. There will also be an opportunity for them to meet representatives of traditional livelihoods such as hunting, reindeer herding and grazing. The aim is to assess existing management practices in order to see what lessons can be learned from the impact of current policies and practices. Key areas for discussion are:
- Trust
- Cumulative effects
- Social sustainability
- How to govern outfield areas with many conflicting interests
Both John and Chris have extensive experience concerning the management of common land, which will be crucial in answering the key questions for posed across all of the case studies:
- How does the current management regime in the case study work ?
- What are the central conflicts and the central resources?
- What are cumulative effects and social sustainability?
The project is due to complete by March 2023 and the outcomes will be to help the local and national government in Norway meet its green sustainability ambitions but also to ensure that local communities remain viable and retain their social identify.
