Norway’s newest national park just officially opened east of Oslo and now the Greens Party is already proposing another one, in Rogaland. It’s the only county in Norway that now lacks a national park.
“That’s sad,” Greens leader Arild Hermstad told news bureau NTB. “There’s a lot of beautiful and important nature in Rogaland that deserves to be taken good care of.”
He thinks the government should establish a new national park around the popular Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), just east of Stavanger in the west coast county. It already attracts thousands of visitors every year. Hermstad claims national park status wouldn’t hinder tourism in the area, even though it could restrict further development.
Norway’s long-awaited national park in Østmarka, the forested area east of Oslo, finally opened this month after years of planning and debate. Farmers with land rights on the park’s eastern border had opposed the park plan because it interfered with open grazing of their sheep, and the farmer-friendly Center Party helped halt the plan. The park’s size was ultimately scaled down in order to secure its creation.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
