Presentation short abstract

In 2024, Norwegian and Swedish summer farming were inscribed on the UNESCO’s list of intangible world heritage. We have studied adaptations and resilience of mountain summer farming in Norway in terms of which lessons can be learned for adaptations to climate change and other external stressors.

Presentation long abstract

Mountain summer farming in Norway means moving livestock, especially dairy cows or goats, to seasonally inhabited farmsteads at higher altitudes for grazing, milking, and sometimes also processing of the milk. The usually limited agricultural land around the permanently settled farmsteads at lower altitudes, for example in mountain valleys, is then prioritized for production of winter fodder and human food. This has been practiced for many centuries, with a peak during the 19th century of ca. 50,000 practising farm holdings, followed by a strong decline down to some 700 today. In 2024, Norwegian and Swedish summer farming together were inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Valdres region is a core area for summer farming in Norway today, hosting ca. 150, i.e. >20%, of the remaining practitioners. We have studied adaptations and resilience of mountain summer farming in Valdres throughout history that may explain the high degree of continuity compared to other regions. Our main focus has been on which lessons can be learned in terms of necessary future adaptations to climate change, extreme weather events, and other external stressors.