New agreement secures future of the 1994 Olympic torchbearer landmark in Øyer

A 12-year deal between landowners and Øyer Business Council will preserve the iconic Olympic figure, which had become overgrown by forest over the past decade.

The 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics landmark, known as Fakkelmannen (the Torchbearer), will be cleared of trees this spring after years of gradual regrowth. The new agreement ensures the figure’s visibility for at least 12 years, with Øyer Business Council compensating the seven landowners for lost timber revenue.

“It’s only fair that if someone wants to use your forest for a purpose, they should pay for it,” Jens August Dalsegg, chair of Øyer Business Council, told GD.

While the deal addresses financial compensation, some landowners highlight environmental trade-offs. The 30-hectare site’s carbon capture capacity will be reduced, and the area borders habitats of red-listed species that would benefit from regrowth.

“Iver Roverud Rusten, chair of Fakkelmannen AS, acknowledged the economic resolution but noted, “The agreement compensates for our lost timber income, not for the loss of nature in Øyer.”

The last major clearing took place before the 2016 Youth Olympic Games. Work is set to begin in spring 2026.