Recreational Use of Developed Norwegian Shorelines: How Ambiguous Regulations Influence User Experiences

In principle, public rights of access to “outfield” along the Norwegian shoreline are protected by law. A case study from the village of Saltnes indicates that it is difficult for people to stay or walk along a populated shoreline area without feeling that they are violating privacy norms. Such “mental” barriers and subjective perceptions are not formally addressed in Norwegian regulations concerning legal rights of public access, but appear to affect the extent of recreational use. Interviews with property owners and visitors in Saltnes indicated that two key elements help to improve the situation. First, physical markers demarcating public land (“outfield”) and private land (“infield”) such as vegetation, small fences, signs, boulder walls, paths, and so on seem to reduce discomfort both for visitors and residents. Second, property owners and visitors value polite behavior highly, and communication between different groups of interests seems to clarify the challenging public/private divide. A main impression was that people find present rules and regulations unclear and diffuse and difficult to practice. It is relevant to ask whether the public accessible parts of developed and populated coastal zones are identifiable through the infield–outfield divide; more specific and adapted regulation of public traffic is needed on private shoreline properties.