Elveskogen – a Norwegian rapids mist forest

Storfossen is the largest waterfall in Ågårdselva, Photo: Odd Arve and Gun Anita from Flickr.

The mountainous forest located in the vicinity of Jämtland is more specifically 2 miles from the border on the Norwegian side. It is a forest in Lierne municipality with unique environments that provide rapids along the river that flows, rapids and falls about 300 altitude meters along the entire property from the mountain lake Klingervatnet down to the lake Skjeldbreivatnet, which Ågård Vestre looks out over.

The forest on the property has both mountain forest and bog and unique old-growth forest environments with forest fog throughout the growing season. This creates a rainforest-like environment that favors rare lichens. Hairy hull lichen (Lobaria hallii) is one such globally threatened species that is critically endangered (CR) in Sweden. According to the Swedish action program for the species, occurrences near the Swedish border are of interest for the possible spread of the species via wind-borne spores to Sweden.

View from Ågård Vestre over Skjeldbreivatnet. Part of Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella National Park is visible in the background.

The acquisition of this Norwegian gem is important for preserving biodiversity in Sweden and for the climate. The 470 ha property with both marsh and forest can store about 1 700 tons of CO2 per year. We want to secure this carbon sink through permanent protection, which is also important for the global preservation of Lobaria hallii and several other species on the property that are red-listed in both Sweden and Norway. Life has no boundaries, so together we preserve the precious life on earth.

We acquired Ågård Vestre through bidding. If Naturarvet had not received the winning bid, it would have gone to the second highest bidder, an entrepreneur who owns Norway's largest self-propelled wood chipper 😱! In Norway, it is the municipality that decides on concessions (acquisition permits), and we were recently rejected because the municipality did not think we met the criteria. We are now appealing the rejection through our Norwegian agent in cooperation with the sellers, who would like to see Naturarvet become the owner of the property.