In Scandinavia, Oslo, Norway, there is another example of a city that has created a Blue-Green network. The network fulfils several aims: to protect the city’s drinking water sources – these are of high quality and as a result of the protection they receive enable cost effective treatment of the water supply; to create recreational opportunities for the city’s inhabitants, who are never far from water or green spaces; and to preserve Oslo’s local biodiversity. Green and blue areas, namely fields, forests, rivers and the sea, make up two thirds of the city’s area. In particular, the total area of the Municipality of Oslo is 454 km2 (including land area, lakes, rivers and streams). This consists of 301 km2 of forest (66%) and 153 km2 of built-up area (34%). Within the built-up area, public green areas cover 29.000 Ha (19% of built-up area), about 52 m2 per inhabitants. As a result, 95% of Oslo's inhabitants live within 300 metres of a green area. The easy access and clean state of Oslo's green and blue areas, and the leisure and recreation opportunities these afford, are the aspect most appreciated by the city’s inhabitants. Oslo is rich in biodiversity, housing two thirds of Norway’s species, and includes elk and lynx. Oslo has designated a green belt around the city, and manages natural spaces based on ecological principles while taking into account multiple uses and recreational use. The green belt also serves as a protection area for the city’s drinking water intakes from surface sources. Although Oslo benefits from its location on a fjord, it has also been impacted by past industrialisation, agricultural activity and urban development. For example, its rivers and coastal waters were not always as clean as they are now, and many of the city’s rivers have been paved over. Oslo is working on re-opening these rivers and on creating green corridors connecting the rivers to the surrounding forests. The city has prohibited building within 20 metres of river banks (City of Oslo, 2011).
Figure 1: Coordinated sustainable management plans in Oslo; green areas and waterways (water to access) are also illustrated (City of Oslo, 2011)