The agricultural landscape is among Norway's most species-rich ecosystems, and in Trøndelag, meadows and pastures constitute an important part of this diversity. Through a pilot project supported by the Norwegian Environment Agency's Natursats scheme, we will build knowledge about biodiversity and carbon sequestration in inland pastures – both above and below the soil surface.
The project will:
- Increase farmers' knowledge about how grazing affects biodiversity and carbon storage.
- Test and demonstrate different grazing practices in collaboration with NIBIO.
- Involve municipalities and agricultural support systems to strengthen planning and advisory services.
- Share experiences and knowledge through webinars, grazing walks and information work.
The goal is to lay the foundation for a main project in 2026–2027 that will contribute to more sustainable grazing and enhanced natural diversity in Trøndelag.
Per Vesterbukt at NIBIO and Tove Hatling Jystad at the Green Competence Center have been mapping two different pastures in Levanger. In the video, Per explains how different the plant diversity is when grazing practices are different.
Photo: Mariann Hovin, Green Competence Center/Editing: Camerat
