Soil Destruction in Norway

Abstract

In the coastal regions of western and northern Norway where there is little forest, peat is the most important fuel, as it has been for centuries. Because of this the sources of good peat have been reduced greatly in many districts. The peat in the coastal districts rests often directly on rock without loam, sand or gravel between the rock and the layer of organic material above. If the peat is removed, the land will be transformed into ponds or swamps. In the course of time great areas suited for cultivation have been destroyed in this way. When the peat has been excavated, then the turf on more or less dry ground is utilized for fuel, i. e. grass turf and heather turf. In this way the surface humus layer is removed and the underlying mineral soil exposed to further erosion. The mineral layer that is left behind is usually too shallow or too coarse-grained to yield any production, and the posibilities for further use are diminishing. On the other hand, the ground might have been used as grazing land or for forest if the upper layer had been allowed to remain.