When one thinks of Norway, the images that come to mind are fjords, trees and snow – and they are not wrong. Norway is abundant in nature and this is perhaps why the Norwegian people share such a strong bond with the nature. Friluftsliv is the Norwegian outdoor philosophy. From early childhood, Norwegians are exposed to the outdoors and taught to cherish it and use it for recreational activities often. This is friluftsliv and this is the Norwegian way of life. This essay will look at the differences between friluftsliv and outdoor education / recreation in Norway in comparison to Australia.
The cultural roots of friluftsliv in Norway stem largely from the country’s unpopulated landscape. Even those living in urbanised areas have access to nature for recreation (Gelter, N.D). Norway have long lived and worked in the outdoors hunting and fishing for both work and recreation. Although upper class people did not partake in as much hunting, the idea of outdoor recreation was romanticised to them through poetry, art and music. On the other hand there is Australia which, similar to Norway, has a largely unpopulated landscape. However, in heavily urbanised areas there is a lack of easy access to “naturally” formed nature. Thus, in order to partake in outdoor activities, Australians most of the time, need to travel out of the cities.
In the year 1957 in Norway, the ‘Outdoor Recreation Act’ was introduced. The purpose of this act was to “protect the natural basis for outdoor recreation and to safeguard the public right of access to and passage through the countryside and the right to spend time there”. Norway wished to protect and preserve people’s rights to use land for outdoor activity so long as it was environmentally sound and improved health and wellbeing. This Act is encourages the freedom of ‘friluftsliv’. Within the act, are several regulations for camping and general use of areas on cultivated and uncultivated land. Cultivated land is land privately owned by an individual and unless permission from the owner is granted, this land may not be used for outdoor recreation. Uncultivated land however may be used for camping, hiking, climbing, kayaking and other outdoor activities without permission. All waterways, oceans, fjords, rivers and lakes are deemed as uncultivated land and thus allow free access for any persons to use, however, permission is still needed when wishing to dock a boat at a jetty or boat deck that may belong to another. When camping in Norway, persons are free to camp on uncultivated land however, as with the above, permission and sometimes payment may need to be made on cultivated land.
In Australia, there is no real ‘Outdoor Recreation Act’ mainly just rules and regulations applied to different areas and different states. When hiking or climbing, there are several areas available that are within national parks that have free access for all Australians. Kayaking is similar with most waterways, rivers, lakes and beaches being accessible. Camping though is heavily regulated. It is not permitted to camp just anywhere. Side of the road camping is not permitted and when camping in national parks, generally there are fees that must be paid and the park rangers must be notified. In some instances, only designated campsites may be used. In general, I feel this could put several Australians off outdoor recreation as the laws regarding outdoor activities are vague yet somewhat restricting.
It is fair to say that Norway have more freedom and a better understanding of people’s need for outdoor recreation. To quote Svalbard’s Wildlife Service (2003) “Thousands of tired, stressed, civilised people are beginning to find that going into the mountain is going home, that wilderness is a necessity. Many Australians have become too focused on the ‘material’ life rather than the ‘natural’ life that Norwegians seem to embrace. Ultimately, this could be changed with some simple changes to the freedom Australians have when desiring to partake in outdoor recreational activities.
References:
Gelter, Hans N.D, ‘History of Friluftsliv’, Friluftsliv: The Scandinavian philosophy of outdoor life, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, viewed 13/3/2014
Government Administration Services 1996, Act of 28 june 1957 no.16 relating to outdoor recreation, Government.no, viewed 5 May 2014, <http://www.regjeringen.no/en/doc/Laws/Acts/outdoor-recreation-act.html?id=172932>
National Parks South Australia 2014, ‘Camping regulations’, <http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/home> viewed 13/3/2014