The challenge of fragmented resource management in the UNESCO Site West Norwegian Fjords

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1 The challenge of fragmented resource management in the UNESCO Site West Norwegian Fjords A project in the programme Environment 2015, Norway Research Council

2 Study: The south part og West Norwegian Fjords, The NærøyFjord Area

3 Research objectives The problem understanding: The lack of tourism traffic regulation on the premise of the small villages and settlements along the fjord. Different problem understandings in management agencies and in the public: Volume approach: More tourism traffic and market competition as desirable Quality approach: Limit the transfer traffic and develop tourism explorative products Research question: How do the management model in the World Heritage Area influence the fjord tourism? An action research strategy: Stimulate the quality approach stakeholders ability to govern tourism development

4 The relation to research The problem of fragmentation: resource regimes are typically not able to motivate coordinated action among the different users involved (Vatn 2005) Current theories of collective action are lacking among others the importance of the characteristics of external political regimes in an analysis of how internal variables affect levels of collective provision of rules (Ostrom, 1990) There are no objective criteria for the choice of regime: institutions protect interests and values, and also reinforce and influence them. The basic issue is which interests and values are to be defined that is, what kind of a society we want to develop through the regimes we set up (Vatn, 2005, pp ).

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6 Geografical levels, laws and authorities Geografical level/ law & authority Landscape protected Plan and Building Act Municipality Nature Diversity Act County Governor Infrastructure development on land areas Harbour & Seaways Act Municipality Enterprise Professional Transport Act County adm. World Heritage Rest of municipality Infrastructure development: roads, harbour buildings etc. in municipality plan Objection/protests to municipality plan Consent licence to use harbours Secure traffic and seaways Consent operation licence to use the fjord

7 The management authority and geografic areas Harbour licence managed by Municipality Enterprise Nature Diversity Act managed by County Governor, year 2002 Landscape protected area Municipality Plan area Plan and Building Act managed by the municipality, year 2005 World Heritage Area Fjord traffic licence managed by County Adm.

8 Management system for tourism activity on fjord Municipality enterprise All commercial traffic is allowed Traffic management The horizontal axes is the model of organisation: -Community = public body dealing with a wide range of community issues -- Association: Organisation dealing with some specific issues/interests Based on Tönnies (1955) concept gemeinschaft & gesellschaft. The vertical axes is the mechanism to govern activity: Market versus Plan Harbour management

9 Summary Fragmented system with many authorities with different goals and strategies due to sectoral laws: The organisational model chosen makes this lack og coordination worse The practical fjord traffic management has limited the freedom to govern The harbour and fjord management system is understood as technical and commercial operations. Vatn (2005): Open access is institutionalized cost shifting due to the interconnectedness of resources My contribution to the wider debate: UNESCO Sites highlight the unique, but increase in tourism transform the small communities

10 Referances: Ostrom, E. (1990). Governing the commons: the evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Tönnies, F. (1955). Community and Association. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Vatn, A. (2005). Institutions and the environment. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Contactinformation: Eivind Brendehaug Phone: E-post: Vestlandsforsking Box Sogndal NORWAY