It is Dovre Ap that wants a trial project where the tourists are required to go in groups with a guide. This is revealed in a proposal that the party has presented to Climate and Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide. At the same time, Dovre Ap believes that the permanent residents should be able to use the mountain as before. The proposal faces strong opposition from the Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT). – Violates the common law – This violates the common law, says Ingeborg Wessel Finstad, who is section leader nature and sustainability at DNT. – Nature should be free, and then payment solutions with a certified guide are not the way to go, she says. Section leader Ingeborg Wessel Finstad in DNT warns. Photo: DNT – The right we have in Norway to travel in nature is a right we must take care of in the future. Dovre Ap believes that it is the tourists from outside who are the main problem for the vulnerable wild reindeer. Therefore, they want a pilot project for a selected area, where the purpose is to test whether the mandatory use of group tours with a guide will lead to less disruption. Unique wild reindeer tribe The tribe in Rondane/Dovre is the only genetically original wild reindeer tribe in Europe. It is now red-listed, which means that professionals consider it endangered. The main reason is human traffic and activities. Wild reindeer are easily frightened, and depend on large mountain areas to live normally. But the demand for reduced cabin development and less traffic has triggered a fierce debate about who is responsible. – Part of our culture and identity Dovre Ap believes that measures that can limit the local population’s use of the mountain have “limited effect.” – These measures do not help with the main problem itself, namely the large masses of visiting tourists, says Ida Amble Ruge, who is a board member of Dovre Ap. Ida Amble Ruge in Dovre Labor Party is eager for the trial project. Photo: Private – We have lived side by side with the reindeer for a long, long time, without it harming them. This is part of our culture and identity, she says. Ingeborg Wessel Finstad from DNT says that they share the concern for the situation of the wild reindeer. – But we have already implemented strong restrictions on our offer when it comes to opening hours at tourist cabins. We have moved routes and actually also cabins, she says. Meeting skepticism in the ministry State Secretary Kjersti Bjørnstad (SP) in the Ministry of Climate and Environment is happy about the local involvement, but is not sure that such a trial project is the solution. She points out that this is challenging both in relation to the right of the public in the Outdoor Activities Act and in particular in relation to Eøs rules on differential treatment of locals and visitors. State Secretary Kjersti Bjørnstad (Sp). Photo: TROND ISAKSEN / © PHOTO TROND ISAKSEN – I have more faith in using more resources to channel traffic into the right areas and the right paths. And give good information about why it is not a good idea to go in a particular area right now and what is the reason for that, she says. Next year, the government will submit a parliamentary report on wild reindeer. It will then be consulted on, before the government, probably in 2025, makes a decision on which measures will be implemented to take care of the wild reindeer. – Better with positive facilitation Researcher Olav Strand at the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research says that he will not comment on the proposal directly. – But I can say in general that I am skeptical of measures that involve bans. It is much better to engage in positive facilitation by getting the tourists to walk certain paths. Olav Strand is a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Natural Sciences. He is skeptical of the proposal from Dovre Ap. Photo: Sindre Skrede He refers to the so-called “musk trail” on Dovrefjell, which leads to a less vulnerable area. Sports app shows traffic in vulnerable areas Ida Amble Ruge agrees that this path has worked well. – The only problem is that we have measurements from the training app Strava which show that tourists are pouring into the mountain in large numbers, outside of this type of trail. She believes that this shows that the proposed project has the right to life. Ruge states that approximately five percent of tourists use Strava. As for the common law, she believes that it is not in danger. – What about the Oslo Fjord and the traffic restrictions on several of the islands there during certain periods? And Fokstumyra on Dovrefjell, where there are also restrictions? – There is nothing new or dramatic about us introducing regulations in vulnerable areas, she says. The reindeer are vulnerable to large numbers of tourists who want to experience musk up close and perhaps wild reindeer. Photo: Svein Hjelmeset
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Dovre Labor Party will test whether wild reindeer tourists should be required to have a guide – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
