Biodiversity

Many of Avinor's airports are located in areas that are naturally biologically rich. They are near protected areas, salmon rivers, species-rich meadows, wetlands, spawning grounds, and habitats for several endangered species.  

Avinor has conducted a mapping of biological diversity for all airports, including the influence area. The mapping was mainly done in the period 2009-2014, with some updates and more specialized mappings of certain species groups, such as bumblebees, thereafter. The results from the mappings are publicly available in Naturbase and Artskart, and the reports are available here. This provides an overview of the natural values on Avinor's properties and in the immediate vicinity. The knowledge is used in operations, planning, and projects, and the management advice from the mappings is followed up within the frameworks for safe and efficient airport operations.  

Airport operations affect nature at and around the airports in several ways. Land use, noise, light, chemicals, and microplastic emissions, bird and wildlife control, and the spread of invasive species are some of the ways.Avinor is working to minimize environmental impacts and also to implement positive measures where possible. Among other things, several initiatives are being carried out to support wild pollinating insects by creating new or improving existing habitats, such as flower-rich meadows, and efforts are being made to remove invasive and harmful species.

The development of new airports in Bodø and Mo i Rana are two major projects with significant impacts on nature and extensive land use.

In connection with the construction of the new airport in Bodø (NLBO), Avinor has established a grant scheme for nature-related initiatives. As part of the construction project for the new airport in Mo i Rana, Avinor has launched a pilot project where a small peatland area has been transferred to an artificial basin blasted into the rock within the development area. The goal is to establish a new peatland and gain more knowledge about methods for relocating peatlands. Read more about the project at Nordlandsforskning: Myr i Rana | Nordlandsforsking.