The Norwegian countryside is rich and varied. Compared with many other European countries, large, relatively undisturbed areas and valuable cultural landscapes remain intact here. Several habitats are outstanding in an international context. Development and other uses of the countryside and natural resources lead to the transformation of the landscape and areas of countryside being put to new uses. This is particulary taking place in coastal districts and the most productive lowland areas. At he start of the 20th century, around half of Norway lacked major technical encroachments such as roads and power lines. Now, less than 12 per cent of Norway remains unaffected by such encroachments. The reduction in the extent of continous areas of little disturbed, open countryside has diminished the value of, or destroyed the areas where many plants and animals live. By spring 2001, 7.6 per cent of Norway had been protected under the terms of the Nature Conversation Act, i.e. through the designation of, for instance, national parks, protected landscape areas and nature reserves. A political target exists to increase the area protected to 13 per cent by 2010. It is first and foremost the implementation of the National Park Plan that will achieve this during the coming 10 years. DN is responsible for implementing the aims of the politicians regarding conservation.