A Heritage Without Boundaries: Nature-Culture Synergies in and around Norwegian Protected Landscapes

Abstract

We address the question of nature-culture synergies in protected mountain landscapes with a specific focus on the Norwegian National Park of Hardangervidda. Fragile and complex ecosystems developed from long-lasting socio-ecological grazing processes that started approximately 4000 years ago in Scandinavia are facing manifold environmental challenges and societal issues that endanger both natural and cultural heritages. Our goals are to clarify the nature-culture synergies and relationships and investigate holistic management and preservation of natural and cultural values. Our results highlight an urgent need to develop holistic conservation frameworks and methodologies for protected landscapes that integrate cultural and natural heritages and enhance the potential of local communities to protect threatened semi-natural environments and experienced-based knowledge for the future.

Factors influencing the effectiveness of collective action for the sustainability of the local commons: Toward an integrated framework

“…It is also clear that the inclusion of relevant environmental knowledge of local resource users strongly in uence the e cacy of CASLC. For instance, it has been revealed that lack of integration of local communities' traditional knowledge about natural and cultural values, diversity and identity has led to the deterioration of both natural conditions and cultural heritages in the largest national park in mainland Norway (Bele et al, 2024). Comprehensive studies have shown that the environmental problems with the commons are complex; thus, the integration of different knowledge systems, especially the combination of traditional ecological and scienti c knowledge, is required to achieve a positive outcome (Newig et al, 2017).…”