30 Years of Innovation and Excellence: GRID-Arendal Annual Report 2019

Teaching GRID-Arendal’s local community about a Norwegian coastal treasure

Since Raet National Park was created in 2016 in southern Norway, just a few kilometres from GRID-Arendal’s office, we’ve been passionate supporters of this biodiverse reserve. We’ve taught students about its unique coastal geology and ecosystems, conducted two environmental assessments of the park, and captured photographs and drone footage of its beautiful landscapes. In 2019, we built on that legacy by collaborating with the Norwegian Blue Forests Network to publish “Raet National Park: What Does the Natural Environment of the Marine National Park Mean to Us Humans?”, a Norwegian-language report with original illustrations. The publication explains how people benefit from the park’s many species and ecosystems. We launched the report with a boat tour of the park during Arendalsuka, Norway’s national political festival, featuring expert commentary and local seafood delicacies.

KEY NUMBERS

607

number of square kilometres encompassed by Raet National Park

90

percentage of the park that is under sea level

17

estimated number of habitats thought to exist in the park

A hand-drawn map and illustrations from our latest publication on Raet National Park.

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