, Norway
City population: 591933
Duration: 2009 – 2009
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Project area: 310000000 m2
Type of area: Other
Last updated: July 2022

Oslo is completely surrounded by old forests full of wildlife and native species, providing important ecological services. This “Green Belt Boundary”, known as Marka, has been approved to be protected by the City Government in order to “ensure that the forests are protected against urban development. The management of the city’s forests follows a multi-user plan based on ecological principles and places the emphasis on a long-term and target-oriented development of a varied recreational forest that allows for nature conservation and outdoor activities”. 1,700km2 are protected by the Marka Act, of where 310km2 are located within Oslo municipality. (Ref. 1,9)

Marka
Source: Ref. 9

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests
  • Green corridors and green belts

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Preservation of natural heritage
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation

Focus

Protection of natural ecosystems

Project objectives

The purpose of the Marka Act is to promote and facilitate outdoor activities, nature experiences and sports. The law protects the borders of Marka and preserves a rich and varied landscape as well as a natural and cultural environment with cultural heritage. At the same time, consideration is given to sustainable use for other purposes. (Ref. 2) Finally, the Act aims to ensure comprehensive management of Marka. (Ref. 3)

Implementation activities

- Protected vast amounts of land, mainly forested areas, from urban development so that important habitat and wildlife is preserved and people are free to enjoy the nature of Marka, exercise sports, and use the area for recreational purposes - Protected cultural heritage such as traces of early settlements in Marka and use of the region. (Ref. 5)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
  • Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem

Main beneficiaries

  • National-level government
  • Local government/Municipality
  • Non-government organisation/Civil Society
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • National government
  • Regional government
  • Local government/municipality
  • Non-government organisation/civil society

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Local Government: -Municipalities: Responsible for supervising compliance with the provisions of the Marka Act and process applications under the Act at a first instance, including applications for building and construction measures within Marka. Regional Government: -The County Governor (Fylkesmannen) of Oslo and Akershus: Regional disciplinary body for matters under the Marka Act, including for all municipalities and county councils within Marka. This body shall prepare matters regarding special protection within Marka, as well as prepare trails, paths and facilitate traffic. The latter can be made by public authorities and organizations with the purpose of public outdoor pursuit, if allowed by the city governor. National Government: -The Nature Supervision Authority (SNO): Controls and supervises the area in accordance with the Act on National Nature Supervision. -The Environmental Protection Ministry - Supreme Administrative Authority Citizens/ NGOs: -The Marka Board: Representatives from NGOs and the society to fulfil the goals of the Marka Act; largely involved in assessment and evaluation of decisions regarding Marka (Ref. 6)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? No
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (The Marka Act is part of Norwegian law. The Marka Act itself is not being referred to as being implemented in response to another national regulation. (Ref. 5))
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The protection of Marka (Oslo part) was already statued in the Municipal master plan of Oslo in 1990 (Ref. 10). The Outdoor Council of Oslo and Surrounds (Oslo og Omland Friluftsråd) had also been pushing for special protection of Marka for decades (Ref. 7))

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public national budget
  • Public regional budget
  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Increase in protected green space areas
  • Increased number of protection areas
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Protection of natural heritage
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No

References

1. The City of Oslo (2003). Strategy for Sustainable Development. Environment and Sustainability Status 2002. Urban Ecology Programme 2002–2014. Oslo [Not available in 2020].
2. Lovdata (n.d.). Law of nature areas in Oslo and other municipalities (The Marka Act)/Lov om naturområder i Oslo og nærliggende kommuner (markaloven). Available at: Source link [Accessed: 30 October 2020].
3. Statens Naturoppsyn (2013). Act on nature areas in Oslo and nearby Source link om naturområder i Oslo og nærliggende kommuner. [Not available in 2020].
4. Fylkesmannen i Oslo og Akershus (2017). The Marka Act/Markaloven. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 30 October 2020].
5. Bugge, J & Reusch, C. (2010). Handbook for the Marka Source link for Markaloven. Oslo og Omland Friluftsråd. Oslo. [Document provided].
6. The State of Norway (2009). Implementation of the Marka Act/Iverksettning av Markaloven. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 30 October 2020].
7. Oslo og Omland Friluftsråd (2002). General info about OOF. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 30 October 2020].
8. The City of Oslo (2017). Quiet Urban Areas. [Not available in 2020].
9. The City of Oslo (2017). The Protection of Marka. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 30 October 2020].
10. ByPlan Oslo (1990). Municipal Master Plan. Oslo Municipality's part of Marka. Kommunedelplan. Oslo kommunes del av Oslomarka. March 1990. [Document provided].
11. Venter, Z. et al. (2020). Urban nature in a time of crisis: recreational use of green space increases during the COVID-19 outbreak in Oslo, Norway. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. DOI: 10.31235/Source link [Document provided].
Marka 1
Source: https://naturvernforbundet.no/noa/markaloven-og-markagrensa/category3327.html
Marka 2
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marka,_Oslo