Travelers are increasingly looking for sustainable travel options in desirable locations around the world. Concerned about their impact on the environment, many nature enthusiasts yearn to visit and explore Norway’s iconic fjord landscapes. The Norwegian fjords serve as a melting pot that binds together the most scenic landscapes in the country. These geographically important areas are home to rare animal and plant species, as well as colorful ancient culture and traditions. Interest in this region is on the rise, and it is a coveted location for multiple cruise and small-ship companies. Designing and producing such travel experiences is a multifaceted and complex task. However, in this important and necessary work, it is essential to bear in mind the need to minimize the footprint of mass tourism on these delicate ecosystems. To preserve the ‘time capsules’ that make Norway so unique, arriving with respect and leaving without a trace must be our mandate. This essay serves as a guide to those who wish to explore some beautiful coastal destinations in Norway with relatively minimal environmental impact. The practice of enjoying the world with reverence, care, and mindfulness has become an important aspect of our life of consumption, including travel. In line with this, travelers are encouraged to explore the region with the footprint in mind – remembering these tips detailed in sustainable initiatives and special considerations highlighted in the following sections.
Norway’s Fjords: A Natural Wonder
Attracting some 450,000 visitors a day during the peak summer season, Norway’s fjords witness increasing visitor numbers year on year as they creep into the lists of top European travel destinations. But the fjords are much more than a few beauty spots. Defined by large, steep cliffs, narrow valleys that fill with crystalline waters, calm straits, and powerful currents, the fjords of Europe are the result of millennia of glaciations, transforming river-carved valleys into U-shaped indentations in the landscape. As the world’s youngest glacial landscape, the fjords have captured the imagination of travelers around the world for thousands of years. Since the term “fjord” entered the western lexicon through Scandinavian lands, Norway has become synonymous with these natural wonders.
Flora and fauna, from quirkily adapted shrubs to vast kelp forests, are the lifeblood of the fjord. Seabirds continue to use cliff ledges for nest sites, while neotropic migratory species such as swifts and swallows head here annually to take advantage of seasonal abundance. While seals and sea anemones are more common on the west coast, the biodiversity of the fjord is unparalleled in Norway. Sensitive ecosystems require low levels of human interference to function as they should, making them perfect for exploring in small groups. For centuries, the fjord has been seen as a traditional crossroads between east and west, as well as a pirate’s paradise. Deep fjords, protected from the harsh weather of the open ocean, have hosted major ports and trade routes throughout history. Today, picturesque port towns, historic and modern hiking trails, daring rock-climbing routes, and stunning viewpoints are just some of the attractions in the fjords of Europe. Tailored for fjord and cruise travel, mass tourism is an increasingly significant part of the problem facing the fjords today, but confusion is growing about how to address this.
Importance of Sustainable Travel
Sustainable travel is travel that doesn’t harm people or the environment. It ensures that the places we visit aren’t spoiled for the people who live there but also for future travelers. People, ecosystems, and even economies can withstand potential negative effects. Sustainability has several meanings in relation to travel. One is preserving the environment and keeping it safe and healthy rather than destroying it. This means maintaining the living habitats and structures that underpin life on Earth. This is known as ‘environmental sustainability’. Tourism also has social and cultural impacts, so ensuring that a place keeps a living culture is important. Otherwise, everything becomes homogenized. This is also known as ‘cultural development’. Many places today, especially historic cities, use this term to show that they are keeping a traditional character despite change. But it is also important to ensure that local people benefit from having travelers in their countries – this is called ‘social sustainability’.
More and more, people are paying closer attention to the footprints they leave behind as they travel. This involves not only what they do as travelers but also the type of travel companies and organizations they choose. We often see responsible travel operators as those who minimize the negative repercussions of tourism on the people and places they visit. Travelers can leave a trail of pollution, habitat destruction, and even cultural erosion due to the large numbers of visitors who arrive and need water, food, and hotel rooms! This can ruin and literally harm people and places in this world. There are many ways of assessing whether a type of tourism is sustainable or not. Here are typical types of frameworks or assessment topics. In all of them, choosing to be eco-conscious is as easy as choosing to recycle. Each time you visit a place and make decisions about what to do and where to stay, use this as a quick checklist to scan through your choices. What you do can benefit many areas of the world. It can leave a better travel world and potentially many more happy holidaymakers who can visit the same places in the future. Moreover, many countries and tours are helping travelers benefit by providing them with cultural and natural experiences that have been created using sustainable principles.
People visit many interesting and unique places in the world. We all have a responsibility, however, to ensure that when we visit a place, future generations can have an enjoyable experience. This means that a place can continue to offer good experiences and also that it makes a positive contribution to the local area. Various places are making efforts to keep their special characteristics. Local communities, particularly remote communities, can help people appreciate the value of the local environment, culture, and way of life. They can also help us manage the human impact of our visits. ‘Stewardship’ is a term sometimes used to describe the active caretaking role of people living in a place. It can also help benefit our well-being. Many places aim to practice ‘sustainable tourism’. This means offering travel options that help protect and enhance people’s health, both travelers and the local community, as well as the local culture, natural environment, valuable resources, and places. It’s important for the long-term viability of travel enterprises and the destinations in which they are located. It’s also important for preserving the values of the local people, as well as for the enjoyment of people visiting a country.
Eco-Friendly Accommodation Options
The ability to lodge in a variety of sustainable accommodations can help build a trip’s overall eco-friendliness. Accommodation can be chosen based on individual traveling style, such as choosing an eco-lodge, hostel, B&B, or hotel depending on how much or how little of a “back to nature” experience a traveler desires. Additionally, individual establishments tend to have different emphases on sustainability. Some eco-lodges may light with kerosene lanterns, or a hostel may be a certified sustainable business. This section will focus on the variety of options available for enhancing the eco-travel experience through environmentally friendly accommodations. It’s no secret that Norway is essentially a nature lover’s paradise, but did you know that within that paradise several lodging accommodations are committed to maintaining their surroundings?
The European Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, and ISO 14001 certification all provide clues to a consumer that the establishment has sustainable practices. Additionally, the Green Key label is an international tool that is used to certify green lodging. This section can serve as a miniature guide to the eco-conscious traveler, offering information on the many lodging accommodations within the fjords region that maintain a commitment to the environment and sustainability. There are several ways regular hotels go about providing eco-friendly accommodations. To name a few: substantial efforts in reducing energy consumption, heating and cooling, and selecting energy- and water-efficient appliances; waste reduction and recycling programs; avoiding the use of chemicals and pesticides wherever possible; and a commitment to “buy local.” The flexibility available with hotels can also offer unique, eco-friendly experiences. Between bike rentals, electrically powered boat rentals, and horseback riding, a hotel stay can appeal to many different varieties of travelers.
Activities and Excursions for Eco-Conscious Travelers
In addition to its natural beauty, Western Norway’s fjords also carry great natural, historical, and cultural value in their every nook and cranny. There are experiences and adventures that can be enjoyed by travelers who wish to get close to nature and leave with a greater personal connection to, as well as a deeper understanding of, the fjord landscape. The concept of sustainability is core to all of these activities, which are designed to unite people with this landscape, not disturb it. The opportunities in the below itinerary reflect sustainable values through their “soft” nature – such as walking on soft ground in areas set aside for hiking only – and minimal carbon footprint, meaning that they require no or minimal use of transport. Hiking: Uncover waterside paths that twist and turn around the side of the Norddalsfjorden, for an adventure outside the bounds of roads. Sea Kayaking: Guided by professionals, paddle on the tranquil waters of the Norddalsfjorden, absorbing sights of the rugged mountain summits that speckle the surrounding area. Wildlife Watching: Simply wait and watch in one of the two Viewing Hides in the Nature Reserve. The human-made structures are specifically designed to fit in and be at one with natural surroundings and the clear, refuge habitat of this protected bird species.
Photography Walks: Bring home a memento of your unforgettable adventures by signing up for one or both of these guided walks, perfect for photography enthusiasts, be they novice, amateur, or pro.
Wildlife Hide: For a grounding taste of the local flora and fauna, tour the Farm. It is home to beehives. While artisanal honey and marmalades can be bought for an eco-friendly souvenir— bees are vital for local fruit and berry harvests – it is not a requirement.
Alternatively, sign up for the Fruit and Berries Wildlife Hides tour to join a guide in a hidden hide, and see bears and one or more other mammals up close in their natural habitat. The most common species seen are moose, roe deer, hares, and red squirrels. Guides and tour operators in the region take responsibility for the conservation and preservation of local nature while providing eco-friendly experiences with a minimal carbon footprint. When embarking on walks, especially, be mindful and tread lightly. Stick to mapped trails, paths, and recommended walking itineraries. Leave no trace; use marked facilities to wash, meaning eco-friendly.