The highest quality outfield pastures are concentrated in the nutrient-rich eastern part of the region. However, these areas are also within bear and wolverine protection zones, as well as partly within lynx protection zones in the west and south. This results in livestock losses and poses challenges for grazing. For instance, in Lierne, where outfields make up 99.1% of the area, the number of free ranging sheep has dropped from 60 herds prior to the establishment of the bear protection zone to fewer than 10 herds, all now using fenced pastures.
Municipalities
Geographical size
Human population
Number of livestock farmers
Livestock farming systems
Large carnivore species
Wolverine population
Bear population
Lynx population
SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXT
Agriculture continues to play a pivotal role in the local economy, representing the region’s most significant industry and contributing to a larger share of value creation than in any other Norwegian county. The importance of agriculture varies across municipalities, but its influence on rural livelihoods and regional development remains profound.
Many farms combine livestock production with off-farm employment or secondary enterprises, such as forestry or agri-tourism, in order to stabilise income, reflecting a multifunctional rural economy.
The region faces significant demographic challenges, including population decline and outmigration to cities, as well as an ageing population in many rural communities. Population decline is expected to continue in rural areas, and population growth projections rank Høylandet municipality as the worst in the country, with an anticipated population decline of 20% by 2050.
FARMING CONTEXT
The agricultural sector is deeply rooted in the utilisation of local land resources. Dairy farming is the dominant production system, supported by extensive grassland management, with beef cattle production ranking second. These systems are complemented by crop cultivation, with considerable areas dedicated to growing cereals.
Main Challenges:
- This study area is particularly suffering from high levels of farmers quitting livestock keeping, or farming altogether. Carnivores are highlighted as a key factor. Large distances between farmers make cooperation amongst them difficult.
- The reduced number of farms has led to an increase in farm size, which in turn has led to structural changes and the transformation of the agricultural landscape.
- Grazing farmers are usually organised into grazing associations that cooperate on supervision, collection and investments. This is more common in the western part of the area and less so in the east, where animals are kept fenced in.
LOCAL CONFLICT ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE CARNIVORES
Number of attacks:
Livestock depredation varies across the study area. Verdal municipality (south) reports the highest losses, averaging 776 sheep annually, compared to 174–179 annually in Namsskogan (north), Lierne (centre), and Levanger (south). Of the 55,000 sheep for which compensation was paid during this period, only 14% were in the last four years, between 2021 and 2024. There were minor losses in Høylandet and Lierne (21-22 per year), and major losses in Verdal (835 per year). Only three cattle losses have been recorded. Reindeer face higher levels of predation.
Between 2006 and 2024, sheep losses were attributed to bears (27%), wolverines (22%), lynx (22%), and "unknown" carnivores (22%). In more recent years, wolverine-related losses have increased (30%) while bear-related losses have declined (20%).
Bear losses are highest in municipalities within the bear zone (Namskogan, Grong, Lierne and Snåsa), accounting for around 50% of losses. Wolverine losses dominate in Verdal and Levanger (39% of losses in each municipality), while losses to lynx are prominent in Høylandet, Namsos, and Steinkjer (35-45%).
Between 2021 and 2024, losses to bears have remained steady at 50% in Snåsa, but dropped to 22–28% in Grong, Lierne, and Namskogan, where there are very few farmers left.
Social conflict:
Farmers within the bear protection zone have adapted by using carnivore-proof fences, leading to a significant decrease in the number of sheep farms in Lierne, Grong, and Høylandet municipalities. In the past decades, conflicts have arisen over the killing of bears. Several farmers and reindeer herders were investigated for illegal shooting. They claimed that it was necessary to protect themselves and/or their livestock.
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