Managing visitor sites in Svalbard: from a precautionary approach towards knowledge-based management

Abstract

Increased tourism in the Arctic calls for more knowledge to meet management challenges. This paper reviews existing knowledge of the effects of human use on vegetation, fauna and cultural heritage in Svalbard, and it addresses the need for site-specific knowledge for improved management. This paper draws upon scientific studies, knowledge held by management authorities and local people, the Governor's database on visitors and visited sites and our own data from landing sites we visited. There is a certain level of basic knowledge available, allowing us to roughly grade the vulnerability of sites. However, there is a thorough lack of site-specific data related to the management of single locations or groups of similar locations. Future research needs to address specific on-site challenges in the management of visitor sites. Relevant management models and measures are discussed. We contend that a shift away from a blanket application of the precautionary principle and towards a more integrated, site-specific and evidence-based management plan will contribute to more trusted and reliable, and thereby acceptable among stakeholders, decisions in the management of growing tourism activity in Svalbard.

• Arctic
• resource management
• planning
• tourism

Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund for providing funding to support this work. Svalbard Tourism, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators and the Governor of Svalbard have contributed important information about tourism, operators and management. The Governor of Svalbard has also provided statistics from the visitor sites. Thanks to three anonymous reviewers for very valuable comments that improved the manuscript. Thanks also to Erik Stange, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, for improving the language, and to Kari Sivertsen and Stefan Blumenrath, at the same institution, for allowing us to use the photograph of Trygghamna and for producing the map.