thumb|Map of national parks in 2018
thumb|National parks (green), nature reserves (purple), geotope protection areas (orange) and bird sanctuaries of Svalbard
Norway has 48 national parks, of which 41 are on the mainland and 7 on Svalbard. National parks in Norway are stricter than many other countries, and nearly all motorized vehicles are prohibited. The Right to roam applies, thus hiking, skiing and camping throughout the park are permitted, given that consideration to nature is taken. Roads, accommodation and national park centers are located outside the national parks. The parks are under the management of the Norwegian Environment Agency and the local county governor.
Ytre Hvaler is a marine park and all parks in Svalbard also contain marine areas. Sør-Spitsbergen is the largest park, covering an area of , although only is land. The newest national park assigned in Norway is Østmarka established in 2023. The largest park on the mainland is Hardangervidda, which covers an area of . Gutulia is the smallest, covering . and this was approved by Stortinget in April 1993. Following this approval, a "second generation" of national parks, as well as expanding borders for the elder, were established from 2001.
The post-industrial era that started in the late 1960s saw areas being protected as national parks or other protected status as a means to regulate the construction of vacation homes, roads, fishing, hunting, and gathering plants. This trend has accelerated in the last 10 years. In addition to preserving rare plant and animal life, areas are protected to maintain reference points for environmental research, recreational resources for Norwegians, and as an inheritance for future generations. The Directorate for Nature Management maintains indicators for the health of nature in Norway, including such measures as biological diversity, erosion, signs of pollution.
For the most part, national parks are open to hiking, cross-country skiing and camping. Most have a limited number of overnight cabins.
In addition to national parks, the Norwegian government has designated larger areas for protection. Included in these areas are 153 landscapes covering 14071 km<sup>2</sup>; 1,701 nature reserves covering 3,418 km<sup>2</sup>; 24 national parks covering 21,650 km<sup>2</sup>; 102 natural memorials, and 98 smaller protected areas. This accounts for 12.1% of Norway's mainland area.
The Norwegian government's goal is to increase this area over time to at least 15%. They have signalled an interest in preserving marine ecosystems, including the fjords of the western parts of Norway, and the archipelago southwest from Oslo.
Current
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! scope=col class=unsortable | Image
! scope=col | Name
! scope=col | County(s)
! scope=col | Est.
! scope=col | Area
! scope=col class=unsortable | Description
! scope=col class=unsortable | Ref
|-
| 150px
! scope=row |
| Finnmark
| 1975
|
|
| align=center |
|-
| 150px
! scope=row | Gutulia
| Hedmark
| 1968
|
|
| align=center |
|-
| 150px
! scope=row | Raet
| Aust-Agder
| 2016
|
|
| align=center |
|-
| 150px
! scope=row | Rago
| Nordland
| 1971
|
|
| align=center |
| Nord-Trøndelag
| 261
|
| Cancelled in 2013 after municipalities and reindeer herders pulled out of the process.
|-
| Muvrrešáhpi
| Finnmark
| 291
| No
| Cancelled in 2015 after strong local opposition.
|-
| Preikestolen
| Rogaland
| 215
| Marked trails
| Under consideration in 2019.
|-
| Treriksrøysa
| Troms
| ?
| Unmarked trails and a hut.
| Cancelled in 2015 after strong local opposition. Reproposed in 2019.
|-
| Tysfjord–Hellemobotn
| Nordland
| ~1000
| Boat to Hellemobotn
| Cancelled in 2015 after strong local opposition.
|-
|}
There are also several national park proposals by many different parties: Solværøyene, Storheia; Melkevatn–Hjertvatn–Børsvatn, Okstindan; Frafjordheiene; Oksøy-Ryvingen; Setesdal Vesthei, Trollheimen, Lyngsalpan; Mølen.
Storheia has since been covered in a wind farm and would no longer qualify for protection as a national park, and parts of Melkevatn–Hjertvatn–Børsvatn were protected as a nature reserve rather than a national park.
After being tasked by the Ministry of Climate and Environment in 2018 to find areas that should be protected, in 2019 the Environment Agency made a number of suggestions for new national parks as well as expansions of existing ones, after looking through suggestions from the county governors. In 2021, after meetings with the affected municipalities, they made a final list of suggestions for national parks that should get further consideration. The proposed new protections are: Sunnmørsalpane, Hornelen, Masfjordfjella and Øystesefjella. Additionally, they proposed some protected areas to be changed to national park: Lyngsalpan, Sylan, Trollheimen and Innerdalen, Ålfotbreen, Oksøy-Ryvingen, and Flekkefjord and Listastrendene. Many other proposals were cancelled due to local opposition: Kvænangsvidda-Nabar, Treriksrøysa, Preikestolen, Kvitladalen-Bjordalen, Viglesdalen; as well as some proposed changes of type of protection: Naustdal-Gjengedal and Setesdal Vesthei Ryfylkeheiane.
References
External links
- Norwegian national parks
- Brouchures about National parks in Norway
- Pictures of all mainland national parks