New CEO and World Heritage Coordinator
Gry Beate Mørk has worked at the World Heritage Park since 2008. She has been with the park since the beginning. She now takes over from Erling Oppheim as daily manager and world heritage coordinator.
"I am grateful for the trust I have received from the board to step in as World Heritage Coordinator and CEO of Nærøyfjorden World Heritage Park for a period to come. The World Heritage Park plays a very important role in the four World Heritage municipalities in safeguarding the unique values we have here. The resources that are invested in the work of broad and sustainable value creation linked to the World Heritage values through the World Heritage Foundation and our many partners are of invaluable importance.
In just a few months, however, we have gone from having 5 to 3 permanent employees. In light of this, I see it as my primary task to contribute to securing the World Heritage Foundation, as a central tool in the work for World Heritage - i.e. for the shaping of the landscape through its natural processes and its indescribable beauty, the diversity of species in flora and fauna, the cultural landscape with its wealth of traces of humans from the near and distant past, and last but not least, our living villages and hamlets!
The demanding situation that the World Heritage Foundation is currently in, however, makes it necessary to take a few steps back. We cannot just "produce and deliver", but must take a closer look at both organization, financing, how, what and how much we work with. In other words, the revised strategic plan - the Park Plan - must be adopted. In 2025, special emphasis will also be placed on strengthening information and communication. In addition, work on sustainability and visitor management, maintenance, trails and signage, and commercial value creation will have priority. And it is 20 years since the West Norwegian fjord landscape was granted World Heritage status! This should be marked in various ways - something we encourage everyone else in Aurland , Lærdal, Vik and Voss to do, alone or with others!"