Lysaker River Management Plan – Working together to protect nature and culture
The Lysaker River, which forms the border between the Oslo and Bærum municipalities, is one of Norway's most biologically rich, varied and scenic areas. To ensure the sustainable management of this valuable landscape, these municipalities are working together to draw up a joint management plan. In parallel with the work on the management plan, the county administrations of Østfold, Buskerud, Oslo and Akershus (SFOS) are working on ensuring protection of large parts of the area in accordance with the Nature Diversity Act. These two processes are being coordinated to a large extent. The aim is to protect the area's unique biodiversity, promote outdoor activities and recreation, and preserve cultural history values. iBinder is playing an important role in this work, as a documentation and collaboration tool.
An area of great biological and cultural importance
The Lysaker River ranks highly on all biodiversity parameters. With the help of the company BioFokus, an extensive survey of the area has been carried out, which has provided valuable insights into its unique natural values. The river is also a popular area for outdoor recreation and walking, and there is a strong desire to improve accessibility without harming the balance of the natural habitats.
In addition to its ecological values, the Lysaker River is rich in cultural history sites. Along the river, there are old mills and remains from early power-generation developments. The "Friends of the Lysaker Catchment" (LvV) association has done an impressive job of documenting and highlighting these sites, and this information forms an important basis for designing the management plan.
Four sustainable management topics
Jan Olav Nybo, senior consultant at the Oslo Municipality Agency for Urban Environment, is leading the work with the management plan, in collaboration with Multiconsult. He explains that there are several main topics:
- Conservation of biodiversity and aquatic environments – protecting and nurturing the unique natural values of the area
- Outdoor activities and recreation – creating the conditions for activities and improving infrastructure, for example by improving pathways and hiking routes
- Cultural heritage – preserving and maintaining cultural history sites along the river
- Preventing pollution and improving river water quality
- Supporting communication about and engagement with the plan, so that visitors and residents near the river can also contribute to the continuing survival and development of the area.
The plan includes specific actions to facilitate coordination and ensure that resources are allocated in future budgets.
