Farmers in Møre and Romsdal struggle against invasive vegetation taking over farmland

In Averøy municipality, Simon Utstrand is struggling to maintain his family farm as invasive brambles and shrubs quickly reclaim the land after he clears them. He is not alone in facing this challenge.

A recent survey by Nibio indicates that 7.6% of farmland in northern Møre and Romsdal has been overgrown with forest and shrubs over a span of four to six years. While green areas show active cultivation, other regions have either been developed or are reverting to wild growth.

Less grazing livestock is a growing concern, as Odd Løset, the county forest master in Møre and Romsdal, notes that the region’s goal allows for only up to 100 decares (1,000 square meters) of cultivated land to be repurposed annually. However, the area being reclaimed by forest and shrubs exceeds this amount, leading to significant challenges.

This issue is not isolated to Møre and Romsdal. Kjetil Fadnes from Nibio reports that nationally, about 3% of grazing land has disappeared from 2013 to 2023, primarily due to a reduction in livestock.

Bente Iren Rangønes Brandvik, who resides near her childhood home in Rangøya, highlights that the landscape has changed dramatically. Once grazed by sheep, the area has become overgrown, leading her to believe that the battle against the encroaching vegetation is lost. “It grows back immediately; it’s a lost cause. Soon we will have a jungle here,” she comments.

In Karlstad, Värmland, Sweden, the municipality sought grazing livestock to help mitigate similar overgrowth issues. While Løset emphasizes the long-term efforts needed to restore the land for grazing animals, Utstrand believes that it is feasible with the right combination of livestock and tools.