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Ukjent-Ukjent

Governing transitions in the Norwegian outfields: Between agrarian traditions, modern consumption and green industrialisation

Alternative title: Norsk utmark i endring: Mellom tradisjonelt landbruk, moderne konsum og grønn industrialisering

Awarded: NOK 9.9 mill.

Throughout four years Govout has explored three outfield areas across Norway from the south to the north. In the south research has focused on the culling of wild reindeer in the wake of the outburst of CWD and the aftermath of the handling of Gyro in Lærdalselva. A key finding her is how the cumulative effects of land use activities also bring with them social cumulative effects. It is important to take this into account in order to facilitate sustainable use of natural resources in local communities. Cumulative effects have also been the focus of the studies of Fosen-Orkland in mid Norway. Here the research have shown the local government and regional actors struggle to handle the cumulative effects of various land use activities in the region. There is a lack both of resources, coordination and competence. In Nordland the research has concentrated on the management of state owned land. Various cross cutting conflicts have been identified, for instance there is a key centre - periphery conflict line running through the case. Together with poor mapping and lack of clear understanding of Sami rights in the area, these conflicts makes it difficult to make progress in establishing new management regimes for state land in Nordland. The project has also carried out a historically informed analysis of wealth distribution from the outfields through a focus on ground rents. This analysis suggest that historically a well functioning system for regulating and distributing ground rents has contributed to socially sustainable local communities and to socially sustainable relations between the peripheries and the centre. Finally, the project has brought forward some overreaching reflections that suggest that the phenomena of the outfield may be in the process of being dissolved as it has been placed in the midst of great social transformation and conflict during the previous 50 years. It may thus no longer make sense to talk about the outfields anymore as a unifying category. The project has suggested the use of agonistic thinking as a tool for solving conflicts related to land use and natural recourses. This perspective seeks to recognize opponents actually existing interests. Engaging stakeholders without first allowing for the meaningful expression of different and possibly conflicting perspectives may lead the process to fall short of realizing the potential benefits of collaborative governance.

1) The project has contributed with new knowledge on how the cumulative effects of land use in the outfields can produce negative social effects in local communities. It is important to map, mediate and minimize such negative cumulative social effects to ensure effective and sustainable management of the outfield. In this respect maintaining trust between residents in rural communities and the government through ensuring that decision processes are carried out on a proper time scale, is key. The project only started exploring and realizing the importance of negative social cumulative effects, and more research is needed on this in the future to ensure functioning co-existence between various societal interests and to maintain sustainable land use. Further, in a time when ground rent taxation has been widely debated in Norway, the project has contributed to a deeper understanding of the effects on ground rent distribution social sustainability and on traditional farm and outfield activities. Finally the project has contributed to new understandings of the conflicts in the outfield by ontologically exploring these conflicts and thus making aground for applying agonistic planning principles. 2) The project has involved stakeholders such as Statsforvalteren in dialogue seminars throughout the project period and problem formulation, questions and results have been continuously been discussed with them. Several public talks and popular writings have been carried out throughout the project to disseminate results to stakeholders. The project manager and one of the project participants have co-edited a special issue in the Norwegian Journal Utmark, where project results are presented in Norwegian and in a form that is accessible to policymakers. 3) Due to covid 19 it was difficult to arrange and create arenas for stakeholder engagement and exchange between researchers and stakeholders. Nevertheless, key stakehoklders, primairily statsforvalteren in Vestland, Viken/Oslo and Nordland has been involved in discussions and meetings throughout the project.

The main objective of the research project is to develop the knowledge and analytical understanding necessary to assess strengths and weaknesses in the institutional arrangements involved in the transformations and pressures stemming from renewed interest in the outfields' material and cultural resources, and provide policy recommendations accordingly. In order to fulfil the main objective, we will conduct a broad analysis of the transition processes within and between agrarian traditions, modern consumption and green industrialisation in selected outfield regions in Norway. The project will identify strengths and weaknesses of current governance mechanisms in the study regions pertaining to the management of cumulative effects, social sustainability and trust, and planning and managing areas of conflicting interests. The regions will be compared, and on this basis we will provide recommendations to local, regional and central authorities, as well as to stakeholders. The work will be carried out in close cooperation with local and regional authorities, and inputs from stakeholders will be an important part of the project. The project will draw on theories of transition, legal geography and neo-institutional theories, and utilizing the emprical findings to analyse the manner in which transitions in the outfields challenge established norms and practices, and its implications for the transition to a green society. In 2017 Ruralis (the applicant) was granted a research network project 'Utmark i endring - eit heilheitleg perspektiv på tida og tilhøva i utmarka' [The outfields in transition - a holistic approach on a changing times and conditions in the Norwegian outfields] from the Norwegian Research Council. The present research project is based on the discussions and stakeholder inputs from these seminars. Thus, a novel aspect of the proposed project is that it is so deeply rooted in urgent issues brought forward by stakeholders directly to the project partners.

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