Cultural landscape award to the world heritage farmers in Undredal
– The World Heritage farmers in Undredal are role models for others in their work with living cultural landscapes and by preserving biological diversity, traditions and value creation. Here in the World Heritage area Western Norwegian Fjord Landscape, sub-area Nærøyfjorden "They offer something that is most representative of Vestland, and Norway's cultural history," said county mayor Jon Askeland.
With him he had a gift check for NOK 30,000, flowers and a diploma.
On steeply sloping and labor-intensive small plots, the world heritage farmers in Undredal actively farm with innovation and new thinking. The operation adapted to the landscape ensures that species-rich hayfields, pastures, stables, cultural heritage and traditions linked to the agricultural landscape are taken care of.
The heritage farmers in Undredal come from six different farms run by Maria and Bernat Alarcon Underdal, Atle and Anna Elise Borlaug, Trude and Tormod Underdal, Erna Underdal Skarsbø, Nils Hjellum and Jannicke Hjellum. They work with a wide range of tasks - both forage production, goat's milk, cheese making, cattle, meat production and vegetable production for local delivery.
Before the awarding of the prize on 22 August, those present were able to experience a walk between the farm in Undredal, where the farmers told about the operation, and food service at Undredal youth centre.
The Climate and Environment Award for agriculture in Vestland and the Cultural Landscape Award in Vestland is a collaboration between the county council and the State Administrator in Vestland. The awards are intended to increase awareness of good climate- and environmentally friendly measures in agriculture, in addition to increased awareness of cultural landscapes and values. The two prices are established by the county council.
This is how the jury has been assembled in 2023:
The Farmers' and Small Farmers' Association in Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane v/ Anders Lundevold
Section for cultural heritage, Vestland county municipality v/Tore Slinning
Section for natural resources, agriculture and tourism, Vestland county municipality v/ Kjersti Sognnes
Department of the Environment, State Administrator in Vestland v/Solveig Roald
The Department of Agriculture, State Administrator in Vestland, v/ Øyvind Vatshelle
Vestland Farmers Association v/ Andreas Wollnick Wiese
Department of Environmental and Natural Sciences, University of Western Norway v/Leif Hauge
Trude Knagenhjelm at the Statsforvaltaren has been secretary to the jury.