World Heritage Fund 2022
Good news is nice to share! Now the awarding of the world heritage funds is ready - and I cheer for those who work every day for living villages and cultural landscapes.
From 1 January 2020, Aurland municipality has taken over management of the world heritage assets for the West Norwegian Fjordland - Nærøyfjord area.
The scheme must be administered in line with the Regulations on grants for measures in Selected cultural landscapes in agriculture and the world heritage areas Vegaøyan and West Norwegian fjord landscape .
The purpose of the subsidy scheme is to strengthen agriculture in the World Heritage area. Together with rules for the allocation of subsidies, this is the basis for the municipality's allocation of funds. New for this year, is a new Action Plan West Norwegian Fjordlandscape - cultural landscape t. This plan has been approved by Stranda municipality and Aurland municipality. In this document, among other things, funds for annual operations are increased.
In 2022, we have received many good applications, and funds have been granted for many good measures that strengthen agriculture in world heritage areas. Total licensing in 2022 is 5,563,903. Included in this sum is NOK 500,000 in transfer of unused funds from the Geiranger area. A good collaboration has been established between Stranda municipality and Aurland municipality in order to utilize the world heritage assets to the best of agriculture in the two areas.
The subsidy scheme that has been established to strengthen agriculture in the West Norwegian Fjordlandscape is very important to have active agriculture here. It is very positive that national authorities are prioritizing funds for agriculture in world heritage areas. Nevertheless, I see that there is a need for an increased framework to support planned investments in addition to supporting annual operations.
The farmers in the Nærøyfjord area make a good and important effort to take care of agriculture in the world heritage area and to produce food. Kudos to them!
Here is the list of allocated funds: