In February 2008 the butterfly Chequered Blue, Scolitantides orion, was protected under the Nature Conservation act. Norway's first Act on nature conservation was passed in 1910, and was applied for the first time in 1911, when 52 plant species were protected in the Dovrefjell area. This was a response to the large-scale collection of rare plants that had started in the area at the turn of the century. In 1970 the act was replaced by the Nature Conservation Act.
State
68 species of plants and animals are protected
Today the Wildlife Act is based on the principle that all mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and their eggs, nests and lairs, are protected unless otherwise specified. For example, hunting periods have been defined for some species.
Today 48 species of vascular plants, 8 moss species and 12 species of invertebrates are permanently protected throughout the country by Royal Decree pursuant to the Nature Conservation Act.
Protection means that individuals of the species may not be collected or destroyed. Most of these species are also protected throughout Europe, under the Bern Convention. A number of other species are protected or catches are regulated through the Wildlife Act, the Act relating to salmonids and freshwater fish and the 1983 Act relating to seawater fisheries.
Pressure
Modern society is changing the environment
The change from a scattered agricultural population of 19th century Norway to a modern industrial society has also greatly changed the natural environment. Towns have grown in size and population, and the introduction of modern methods in agriculture and forestry has changed both agricultural landscapes and the wilder countryside. As a result of these changes many habitats are disappearing and being replaced by man-made habitats. This affects the very survival of many species.
Response
Strict protection for some species
Habitat change or destruction is the most dangerous threat to many species in Norway. Protection of their habitats is essential for ensuring biological diversity. Some threatened and vulnerable species and their habitats are strictly protected under the Nature Conservation Act (national parks, nature reserves etc.).
All sectors in Norway are now urged to integrate environmental considerations into their own tasks. The municipalities have for example surveyed key habitats in forests and biological diversity within their boundaries. To safeguard species, it is not enough to protect them against harvesting and collection: what is most important is to protect the environments they live in. This means that land use is a very important factor and that special attention must be paid to important habitats in connection with land-use planning.