State tasked with finding new winter grazing areas for reindeer in Norway

The situation surrounding the Fosen agreement has taken a new turn as the state is tasked with finding new winter grazing areas for reindeer. On September 17, NIBIO presented its assessment of the most suitable areas, identifying locations in Tolga and Os municipalities as top candidates.

On Wednesday morning, State Secretary Elisabeth Sæther confirmed to a local newspaper that a decision had been made. This statement sparked strong reactions from local mayors. Later that day, Sæther clarified that no formal decision had been reached.

In her initial remarks, Sæther stated that the department had chosen Hummelfjellet and Sålåkinna as ideal locations for relocating the reindeer, asserting that both local mayors and the reindeer herding industry had been informed and that progress was being made. However, she later reiterated that the government was still evaluating the situation.

Bjørnar Tollan Jordet, mayor of Tolga, expressed frustration over what he called a lack of genuine dialogue. Along with the mayor of Os, he is in Oslo to meet with Energy Minister Terje Aasland. Tollan Jordet criticized the decision-making process, stating that the state is imposing a solution without proper impact assessments, based only on a limited report from NIBIO.

In addition, there are concerns about the potential conflict between domestic reindeer from Fosen and the wild reindeer populations in their municipalities. Tollan Jordet emphasized their commitment to preserving the habitat for wild reindeer, fearing that the introduction of domestic reindeer could disrupt this delicate balance.