Tilskudd til sikring av friluftslivsområder

This is a national grant program managed by the Norwegian Environment Directorate (Miljødirektoratet) that provides funding to municipalities and intermunicipal outdoor recreation councils to secure important outdoor recreation areas. Securing means that the public acquires control over an area through purchase or long-term agreements on usage rights. The main purpose of the program is to safeguard and improve public access to outdoor recreation areas. The Agder County Council's role is to stimulate the securing of outdoor recreation areas and provide professional assessment and prioritization of applications before they are forwarded to the Environment Directorate for final processing. Priority is given to near-recreation areas on mainland in and near cities and towns, areas for establishing and maintaining hiking trails in urban areas and along waterways, and recreational areas that are or have potential to be made accessible to all. Areas not prioritized include islands and islets in the archipelago, remote outdoor areas far from population centers, and areas already protected under nature conservation or cultural heritage laws.