Bolette Bele
Research Scientist
(+47) 911 95 359
bolette.bele@nibio.no
Place
Trondheim
Visiting address
Klæbuveien 153, bygg C 1.etasje, 7031 Trondheim
Authors
Bolette BeleAbstract
This thesis aims to document, discuss, and get a deeper understanding of how heritage values and natural resources in the summer farming landscape interact and can be maintained for the future. The integrated relationship between food production, landscape, biodiversity, and traditional ecological knowledge has been the focus. Through a mixed method approach and by using qualitative and quantitative data in eight papers (Paper I-VIII), the study contributes to a collection of topics essential for a more integrated understanding of the traditional land use system and products and services provided to society. NO: Hovedformålet med denne avhandlingen har vært å dokumentere, diskutere, og øke forståelsen for samspillet mellom kulturarven og naturressursene i det norske seterlandskapet, og hvordan de kan ivaretas for framtida. Det har blitt satt et spesielt fokus på sammenhengene mellom matproduksjonen, landskapet, biodiversiteten, og den tradisjonelle økologiske kunnskapen. Ved hjelp av kvalitative og kvantitative data og metoder har åtte artikler (Paper I-VIII) gitt resultater som til sammen skaper en mer integrert forståelse av det norske seterlandskapet og de produkter og tjenester som seterbruket bidrar med til samfunnet.
Abstract
We address the question of nature-culture synergies in protected mountain landscapes with a specific focus on the Norwegian National Park of Hardangervidda. Fragile and complex ecosystems developed from long-lasting socio-ecological grazing processes that started approximately 4000 years ago in Scandinavia are facing manifold environmental challenges and societal issues that endanger both natural and cultural heritages. Our goals are to clarify the nature-culture synergies and relationships and investigate holistic management and preservation of natural and cultural values. Our results highlight an urgent need to develop holistic conservation frameworks and methodologies for protected landscapes that integrate cultural and natural heritages and enhance the potential of local communities to protect threatened semi-natural environments and experienced-based knowledge for the future.
Abstract
Semi-natural hay meadows are among the most species-rich habitats in Norway as well as in Europe. To maintain the biodiversity of hay meadows, it is important to understand local management regimes and the land use history that has shaped them and their biodiversity. There is however a general erosion of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), related to hay meadows and other semi-natural habitats. This review aims to examine historical and written sources of land use practices related to hay meadows and to discuss the implications of a re-introduction of TEK in present and future management practices. Traditional land use practices and TEK obtained from written sources from four Norwegian regions and for the country as a whole are compared with present management practices. Written sources show that hay meadows have been managed in a complex but flexible way. Today's management regimes of hay meadows in Norway are streamlined and strongly simplified, most often involving only one late mowing and in some cases grazing. This simplification may result in loss of biodiversity. The potential to include more variety of management practices in hay meadows, by utilizing knowledge from written sources more systematically in combination with farmers’ experienced knowledge (TEK) should be better utilized. Such an approach may secure both the biodiversity in hay meadows and TEK for the future. Former and present landscape ecological contexts in the infield-outlying land system show that management should be done for larger landscapes rather than small, isolated hay meadows, to optimize biodiversity conservation. For this study, we conducted a Norwegian literature review, based on ethnographical and ethnobotanical sources, as well as historical and present agricultural statistics, historical maps, results from research projects, and other sources. Our findings are discussed with similar European studies focusing on the historical management of hay meadows.
