The dataset defines areas within the Sami reindeer grazing area where the right to herd reindeer is restricted due to special legal conditions. The reindeer grazing areas where Sami reindeer husbandry takes place covers approx. 40% of the land area of Norway, extending from Finnmark in the north to Engerdal, Hedmark in the south. Sami reindeer husbandry also takes place in Trollheimen on the basis of a special legal arrangement. Non-sami reindeer husbandry takes place in the mountain areas in Southern Norway, based on agreements with landowners.

The dataset shows administrative boundaries for Swedish reindeer owners' grazing areas in Norway. The area boundaries are established in the Regulation on grazing areas for Swedish reindeer in Norway, ref. the Border Reindeer Grazing Act). The reindeer grazing areas where Sami reindeer husbandry takes place covers approx. 40% of the land area of Norway, extending from Finnmark in the north to Engerdal, Hedmark in the south. Sami reindeer husbandry also takes place in Trollheimen on the basis of a special legal arrangement. Non-sami reindeer husbandry takes place in the mountain areas in Southern Norway, based on agreements with landowners.

Reindeer husbandry in Norway is conducted primarily in the Sámi reindeer herding area, which is divided into six regional reindeer herding areas; East-Finnmark, West-Finnmark, Troms, Nordland, Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag/Hedmark. The Reindeer herding area comprises approximately 14,000 km2 or 40% of Norway’s surface area. In addition to these are four so-called semi domesticated reindeer herding districts (tamreinlag) outside the Sámi reindeer herding area and the work with reindeer in these is of non-sámi character. The right to own reindeer according to the reindeer husbandry act includes the right to graze reindeer in the mountains and other sites, including former cultivated fields and hay meadows outside and which are not linked to inhabited areas or facilities in operation, unless they are kept in the claim and not used as pasture, unless the area is fenced to keep out reindeer. Grazing rights include the right to seasonal grazing as necessary, such as spring, summer, autumn and winter grazing and also migratory routes, calving areas and rutting areas. Outside the Sámi reindeer herding area, reindeer husbandry may not be conducted without the King’s special permission. Such permission can be granted only to a person who by written sources can prove that they are associated with the current landowners and rights holders, or can access large enough areas with good reindeer pastures. A permit may not be granted within the wild reindeer area, nor so close to the Sámi reindeer herding area that it might cause conflict. The permit can be given for a certain period and the management can be subject to certain conditions.

The dataset defines areas that have been expropriated by the government for the purposes of reindeer husbandry.

The dataset provides an insight into land use for reindeer husbandry and shows the facility types that are important for reindeer husbandry. This may, for example, include permanent and temporary barrier fences, catch arms, bridges, areas for boat transport, branding fences, separating and loading fences, field slaughter facilities, accommodation for reindeer herders, camping areas, turf huts, boathouses and storage. Boundaries of areas that act as grazing pastures are also shown.

The seasonal land use is divided into five seasons, which in turn are divided into two categories according to function and grazing intensity. Winter grazing area shows areas that reindeer use in the winter. Winter grazing areas are divided into two categories: Winter pasture 1 – Late winter land, intensively used areas that are normally most secure against large volumes of snow and ice formation in midwinter and late winter. Winter pasture 2 – Winter areas that are used early and often lower, generally less intensively used. The use of pastureland will vary from year to year within the same area. The classification system is applicable to reindeer husbandry all over the country. The annual variations in factors such as weather and pasture conditions means that the delimitation of the seasons has to be somewhat broad and approximate. The reindeer grazing areas where Sami reindeer husbandry takes place covers approx. 40% of the land area of Norway, extending from Finnmark in the north to Engerdal, Hedmark in the south. Sami reindeer husbandry also takes place in Trollheimen on the basis of a special legal arrangement. Non-sami reindeer husbandry takes place in the mountain areas in Southern Norway, based on agreements with landowners.

Sámi reindeer husbandry in Norway is divided into 89 districts. A district is an administrative unit which includes a specific geographical area and whose main task is to organize reindeer husbandry within the district. The districts where established in 1978 and from the beginning, the districts were established so that liability for wrongful conduct could be placed on the reindeer owners collectively within a naturally defined reindeer grazing area. A district is not a legal entity which can borrow money or issue a contract, but a district can represent individual reindeer herders in any disputes. The New Norwegian reindeer husbandry act from 2007 has retained the system of districts but has incorporated some parts of the traditional siida system and places the Siida and the Siida unit (Siida oassi) at the centre. In the Act, the Siida is understood as one or several groups of reindeer owners within a district engaged to carry out the practical work with reindeer in a given area. The work within a Siida can be seasonally orientated, like a summer or winter Siida or be a year round Siida. In the Act, the Siida unit is understood as a family which, or an individual who, represents a unit within the district and are/is engaged in reindeer herding in a Siida with leadership of an individual, a married couple or a couple living together. The system of Siida units, or operational units (driftsenhet) as they were named until 2007, was introduced by a desire to monitor the industry and to keep control of reindeer numbers. Sámi who do not belong to a Siida unit fall outside the legal bounds now established for reindeer husbandry in Norway. In order to lead a Siida unit, a person is required to have reindeer husbandry as his or hers main profession. The leader of a Siida unit determines who may own reindeer in the unit and how many reindeer can be owned within the unit. Members of one unit may not have reindeer in other units. Only a minor whose parents do not live together can have reindeer in his own earmark in the units in which the mother and father belong to. In Norway, as of 2006/2007, there are a total of 556 Siida units which have a member total of 2 936 people. Of these, 403 Siida units and 2 200 persons are in Finnmark, making it the most numerically significant region for reindeer husbandry in Norway. The Siida unit leaders in a district can, if they agree, decide to establish a new Siida unit within the district. But this decision must take into account that the new Siida unit will not threaten the district’s ability to conduct an ecological, economic and culturally sustainable reindeer husbandry. The area board (Områdesstyret) takes the final decision on the establishment of a Siida unit. The average age of a Siida unit leader in Norway is 45.

The dataset defines the reindeer grazing districts in the Sami reindeer grazing area. The right to practice reindeer husbandry within these areas is exclusive to the Sami population. This special Sami right is not applicable outside these areas, where special permission is required for reindeer husbandry on owned and leased land. A reindeer grazing district constitutes an administrative unit for a number of reindeer siidas. The County Governor is the administration authority in the reindeer grazing districts.

The seasonal land use is divided into five seasons, which in turn are divided into two categories according to function and grazing intensity. Spring pasture is areas used by reindeer in the spring. Spring grazing areas are divided into two categories: Spring pasture 1 – Calving area and early spring land. The parts of the spring area that are grazed early and where most of the doe herd remains during the calving and branding period. This includes auxiliary calving land. Spring pasture 2 – Bull reindeer pasture land and other spring land, where bull reindeer and yearlings remain during the calving period. Calves with does may also come here later in spring. The use of pasture will vary from year to year within the same area. The classification system is applicable to reindeer husbandry all over the country. The annual variations in factors such as weather and pasture conditions means that the delimitation of the seasons has to be somewhat broad and approximate. The reindeer grazing areas where Sami reindeer husbandry takes place covers approx. 40% of the land area of Norway, extending from Finnmark in the north to Engerdal, Hedmark in the south. Sami reindeer husbandry also takes place in Trollheimen on the basis of a special legal arrangement. Non-sami reindeer husbandry takes place in the mountain areas in Southern Norway, based on agreements with landowners.

The staging area dataset shows areas with natural boundaries where reindeer gather temporarily while gathering for migration, calf branding, separation or slaughter.