National park

Jostedalsbreen National Park covers an area of 1310 square km and is the 4th largest national park in the country. The national park was established in 1991 and enlarged in 1998. Jostedalsbreen is a large plateau glacier with numerous branches and constitutes the largest ice sheet in Continental Europe. There are a number of other and smaller glaciers as well in the national park.  The glaciers and melt water runoff have brought about a great many moraines and other interesting geological formations. The entire area is characterized by great contrasts and short distances from fjords and lush summer dairy valleys to barren summits and glaciers. Cascading streams, rivers and waterfalls in the hillsides identify the area. This national park is one of the largest areas of true wilderness still existing in Southern Norway. Jostedalsbreen is used for outdoor recreation, education and research. Some of the glacial branches represent the most popular tourist destinations in Norway. Active farming is still carried on in the valleys surrounding the glacier.

The valleys Erdalen, Sunndalen and Bødalen were incorporated in the national park in 1998 when the National Parliament through the River Conservation Plan IV decided that the Styn and Loen river systems (Breheimen - Stryn) should not be developed for hydro power purposes.

The National Park Management  Plan was completed and formally approved (1994). The County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane is responsible for administration of the national park, and Statens Naturoppsyn (SNO) is taking care of maintenance, information and surveillance.