WP2 Land use planning of cabin and road developments
Main objective: To understand how we can integrate knowledge about sustainable land use of peatlands in planning according to the Planning and Building Act (2008).
Tasks
We will target land-use planning in cabin (Turufjell) and road (Ørskogfjellet) development projects, enacted according to the Planning and Building Act. The WP involves academic partners and SVV, the County Governor of Oslo and Viken, Flå municipality, and Sabima. The question of why cabin and road development projects in peatlands are permitted, while afforestation and cultivation of peatland are banned for climate change mitigation reasons, will be specifically targeted. We will explore the inconsistency through qualitative methods (document studies, interviews, and field observations) to illuminate how knowledge is used in various sectors and at different administrative levels. Moreover, we will explore how environmental arguments are used, and by which actors, through similar, qualitative methods. We will consistently integrate a dual perspective in our analyses, to reflect both process and substance in the planning procedures.
Research questions
- How are peatlands valued and assessed by planning authorities in cabin and road developments?
- Which lines of argument does the public regularly use in conflicts over cabin and road developments, and which actors engage in such debates?
- How can improved knowledge collaborations between relevant actors enhance integration of environmental concerns in land use planning?
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How has the valuation, representation, and use of peatlands in Norway evolved over time?
