ABSTRACT
Laws and regulations provide a lens for observing and understanding the connection between human society and its surroundings. Norway’s four successive acts related to nature protection portray nature and environment as areas for human use and activities, rather than simply abstract realms of ‘wilderness’. Analysis of the legal texts highlights two key points – the lack of a dichotomy between nature and society, and a development from rather specific protection to more multifaceted management. In addition to having comparable social structures, the adjacent Nordic countries also have a long tradition of cooperation in policymaking and regulatory practices. While this chapter focuses on Norwegian legislation, it also provides context for several other parts of the volume. The findings here contribute to the current discussion about nature restoration and ‘rewilding’: the evolution from early opposition to the mere concept of ‘nature preservation’ to the current explicit recognition of nature as part of human activity, culture, health and well-being underscores the need to assess, understand and adjust to the context when implementing management measures.
