Stemmetjønn Habitat Forest

Its hills were surely skied by Sondre Norheim, father of modern skiing and inventor of heel bindings and short, side-cut skis that allowed sharp turns between old, snow covered trees and airborne jumps like no one had seen before. In 1866, the world's first ski race was organized in Morgedal, the nearby village.

The area has kept its timeless rural charm, with steep hillsides, lakes and small farms. It hosts one of Norway's best-preserved stave churches and has a history as a Viking age export powerhouse, producing high-quality whetstones that were shipped across all of Europe.

The forest has traditionally been less intensively managed because of the steep terrain and difficult access, leaving invaluable habitats for species linked to deadwood and old trees. These forests are especially valuable today both for biodiversity and cultural heritage. More recent road projects have made the forest easily available for modern forestry and harvesting.

Fossagrim and the landowner have entered into an exclusive agreement securing continued and undisturbed forest growth for at least 30 years. Stemmetjønn will serve as a Fossagrim Habitat Forest, combining ecosystem services for biodiversity and natural carbon storage with local community values.