This Act provides for the management and conservation of forests. The purpose of the Act is to promote sustainable management of forest resources in Norway with a view to promotion of local and national economic development and to secure biological diversity, consideration for the landscape, outdoor recreation and the cultural values associated with a forest.
The Act shall apply to all forest and forest land, i.e. land which produces forest or which, according to an overall assessment, is most suitable for forest production and is not being used for any other purpose. The Act shall apply also to areas protected under the Nature Conservation Act. The Act shall leave rights of Sami reindeer herders to timber and fuel intact. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food shall be the supreme forestry authority. Other administrative bodies involved in forestry management and conservation shall be the Agricultural Committee, the County Governor and municipalities. The Act defines responsibilities of forest owners and provides in general for forest inventory and forest management planning, forest regeneration and silviculture, felling and protective measures and other matters relating to forests used for timber extraction. The County Agricultural Committee may issue rules in respect of protected and protective forests and the Minister may make Regulations in respect of forest areas of particular environmental value. The Act further concerns the Forest Trust Fund and financial matters and contains provisions of miscellaneous character.