What you’ll do:
After a cable car ride, you will map hiking trails on the mountain, document erosion and evaluate the effectivness of nudging methods used to encourage hikers to stay on the main trail.
When:
June-September
Where:
From Fjellheisen (cable car), up to Storsteinen, Fløya and Bønntuva.
Duration:
4 hours
What the project is about:
Allemannsretten, or the Right to Roam, is the traditional Norwegian principle that gives everyone the freedom to access and enjoy nature, regardless of land ownership. On Fløya, the most visited mountain around Tromsø, growing pressure from both visitors and residents is testing the limits of this principle. This summer, Rissa Citizen Science is partnering with researchers from the Arctic University of Norway (UiT) and the Norwegian institute for nature research (NINA) to explore possible solutions to this dilemma and identify ways to balance public access with the protection of nature. On Fløya, there are no marked trails and visitors scatter across the mountain, creating soil erosion and damage to local flora and fauna over a large area. • A PROJECT FOR EVERYONE The goal of this project is to identify practical solutions that can help protect nature while keeping this mountain accessible to all. By involving volunteers, the project also encourages reflection on the limits of “Allemannsretten” and reminds us that enjoying nature comes with a responsibility to protect it. This citizen science project will provide local authorities with the knowledge needed to better manage these impacts. • JOIN THE NEXT EVENTS There will be around 10 events between June and early October. They will be published on the events page of Rissa Citizen Science's website and announced on Instagram. Thanks to Fjellheisen's support, volunteers will be able to use the cable car for free, to access the study site directly and have more time to contribute: - Help map existing trails using GPS devices, providing valuable ground-truth data to complement satellite imagery. - Measure trail erosion by recording indicators such as trail width and depth. - Assess the effectiveness of measures designed to encourage hikers to stay on the main path. - Take part in biodiversity surveys on a mountain renowned for its rich and diverse plant life.
