– This means a lot to us! Now we can take care of what the family has been doing for 200 years. We are very happy to keep it in the family, says Peder Inge Furseth.
He walks around in the unique forest where parts of it have now become a nature reserve. It was for Furseth the solution to a long battle to keep Olagarden in Liabygda in Stranda municipality on Sunnmøre.
When he took over the farm, the municipality demanded that he move here and run the farm, among other things to maintain the settlement in the small hamlet.
– The farm is not viable in any way. There are also no relevant jobs for us here, and we have a disabled son who has a well-functioning offer in Oslo, were Furseth’s arguments.
The vending
The case ended up with the then county governor, on to the Directorate of Agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and finally to the then Minister of State Jon Georg Dale (Frp). All said no to lifting the residency requirement.
– The situation that this entails for the individual will for many be perceived as completely inappropriate. But I have no authority to do otherwise when the Storting has not agreed to the change in the Licensing Act, Jon Georg Dale told TV 2 in the summer of 2018.
Thus, Furseth and his family were faced with two choices when moving was out of the question: Sell or try the case in court. Then the case took a completely unexpected turn. The forest owner company Allskog came to visit to certify the forest on the 600-acre property of Furseth.
– OLAGARDEN: Peder Inge Furseth is glad he does not have to sell the family farm in Liabygda on Sunnmøre. Photo: Arne Rovick / TV 2
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– It turned out that the forest was full of red-listed species and a completely unique pine forest. They suggested that a nature reserve be created here, says Furseth.
Fungi such as Fagervokssopp, Furugråkjuke and Lurvesøtpigg together with a very special forest floor and unique forest meant that 150 acres of the forest were protected.
– The result was that we came below 500 goals, which is the limit for the residency requirement, says Furseth, who adds that they have protected three times more area is what was needed.
– It would have taken to protect 50 targets to get under the residency requirement, but since there were so many rare species, we protected more than necessary, Furseth states.
– So in practice you were saved by another ministry?
– We can probably say it like that! I must thank Allskog who, through certification of the forest, found that there was so much rarity in this forest that we have not been aware of, says Furseth.
No value
He says it is completely unproblematic that the property is protected.
– The forest you see here is steep down towards the fjord and is completely inaccessible. It has no or little economic value. It will cost more to take out the forest and sell it. On the contrary, it is nice that we have a small nature reserve in Liabygda and Stranda municipality. It is a rare case that a nature reserve is established in Møre og Romsdal at all, says Peder Inge Furseth.
Now he will upgrade what will be a holiday home for the family.
– It has been a long and heavy battle. I believe reason has prevailed in this matter, even though the way there came through another ministry. I have always believed that private property rights here have been violated on the basis of subjective considerations, Furseth believes.
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