Glossary box

Arctic Circle Line of latitude at 66–21°N.

Coniferous trees Trees which produce
cones.
Deciduous trees Trees which drop
3a The forest ecosystem their leaves once a year.
Ecosystem A community of plants and
Norway has large forests which are an important part of the animals in their environment.
economy. Also, people often use them for recreation. Growing season The number of days
Figure A Norway: in a year when the average
Forest areas natural vegetation temperature is above 6°C.

Productive forests cover about 7 million hectares in Tree line The highest altitude at which
trees will grow.
Norway (Figure A). Of this, more than 80% is
coniferous – almost all of it pine and spruce
(Figure B). The rest is deciduous, much of it
birch.
In the south and east of Norway
the tree line is at about 1000
metres above sea level. To
the north and west the tree line gradually
becomes lower, as summers
become cooler and the growing
season becomes shorter. North
of the Arctic Circle the tree
line is below 200 metres.

Valuable trees
The trees grown in Norway Coniferous trees
are softwoods. Each year • Needles instead of leaves
reduce loss of moisture
about 10 million cubic • Springy branches allow snow to
metres are cut down. Nearly slide off
half goes to sawmills and is • Trees grow close together and
keep out the sunlight Figure B Coniferous trees are
used for purposes such as • Thick bark gives protection adapted to long, cold winters. In
building houses. The rest is made into pulp and against cold winds some parts of Norway,
paper (Figure C), 80% of which is exported. • There is little undergrowth temperatures are below freezing
• Low temperatures prevent the for up to six months and
decay of pine needles summers are short and cool
Government protection
In the late 19th century, large areas of forest were
are encouraged by different measures, such as tax
cleared for farmland or cut for fuel. There were
incentives, to replace the trees they cut down. About
fears for the future of the forests. Since then, every
60 million seedlings are planted each year. There is
effort has been made to ensure that forestry can be
also some natural regrowth of trees.
sustained. The owners are mainly farmers. They
Most of the land in Norway is accessible to people
for recreation (Figure B). This is especially
important near towns and cities.

Danger from pollution

In recent years Norwegian forests, particularly in
the south, have been damaged by air pollution
carried by the wind from other European countries.
When fossil fuels such as coal and oil are burned in
power stations and cars, tiny particles of sulphur
and nitrogen are released. They fall as dust or as
acid rain.

Figure C Paper production is a major industry in Norway.

Forestry products account for about 6% of total export revenues

3b The tundra ecosystem
Tundra means ‘tree-less plain’. It is an area in the far north
where the average temperature is below freezing for at least
six months of the year and where it does not rise above 10°C in
any season (Figure A). Some of the ground is permafrost.
Figure A Rainfall and temperature in Vardø (70°N)
Vegetation
Plants on the tundra have to adapt to a short life
cycle. The soils are thin, so the plants have shallow
roots. Only low-growing plants can survive – they
avoid the freezing winds. Mosses and lichens are
the most common plants and there are some dwarf
bushes (Figure B). Surprisingly, over 100 species of
flowering plants are found. Each of them flowers
and seeds very quickly in the short summer.
Animals
Hundreds of years ago, large herds of wild reindeer
grazed the tundra mosses and were hunted by
wolves and wolverines, both of which are now
almost extinct. Most of the reindeer are now
domesticated.
Figure B Tundra landscape with an Arctic fox
Glossary box
Domesticated Tamed to live with
people.
Permafrost Ground that is frozen all
year round.
Rodent Animal, e.g. rat or squirrel,
with strong front teeth for gnawing.
The vegetation also provides food for animals
such as the Arctic hare, stoat and several types of
rodent. The best-known of these is the lemming
whose numbers increase steadily for three or four
years and then fall sharply. Then, every 11–12 years
there is a huge increase in the lemming population.
This increase brings many birds of prey to the area,
even the snowy owl from polar regions, because
lemmings are easy to catch.
Birds such as the grouse feed on the buds of
bushes like the creeping willow. They are hunted by
the Arctic fox (Figure B) and birds of prey, which eat
their eggs and chicks. They may also be shot by
hunters.
Reindeer herding
Herding tame reindeer (Figure C) is a right reserved
for Sami people in the traditional Sami herding
areas in Northern and Middle Norway. Sami people
also live in the north of Sweden, Finland and
Russia. There is evidence of Sami settlements in
these areas for several thousand years. The
reindeer graze on the coastal pastures in the spring
and summer and return to the lichen pastures
inland in the autumn and winter. This can mean
travelling distances of up to 500 km in total.
Figure C Herding reindeer in Kautokeino
 0
Norway

3c The forest ecosystem 75 25

Land use (per cent)

Cultivated area

Arable Improved pasture Forest Other 50

Norway 3 1 2 22 75 0
United
United Kingdom 73 27 46 10 17 Kingdom

1 Look at the figures in the table.

75 25
a Use the figures to complete Figure 1. Colour the
pie graphs and complete the key. Arable (ploughed)
Improved pasture
b What do you think would be included in ‘Other’?
Forest
c What are the main differences in land use
Other 50
between the two countries? Suggest reasons for
them. Figure 1 Land use in Norway and the United Kingdom

2 Study Figure B on Card 3a. Say what features of

the trees help them survive severe winters.
3 Read the section headed ‘Valuable trees’ on Card
3a. In your own words, explain how the trees are
used after they have been felled.
4 How does the government of Norway encourage:
• conservation of forests?
• recreational use of land?
5 Study Figure 2. Make a table with two columns
headed ‘Causes’ and ‘Effects’. List causes and
effects of the death of trees in the correct columns.

Figure 2 Causes and effects of the

death of trees
3d The tundra ecosystem
1 Study Figure A on Card 3b.
a Estimate the number of days when the
temperature is above 6°C and plants will
grow.
b Estimate the number of days when the
temperature is below freezing.
c A centimetre of snow is the same as
about a millimetre of rain. Estimate the
amount of snow which falls in the six
months when temperatures are below
freezing.

2 Complete two simple food chains in

these spaces, using Card 3b and Figure 1 Figure 1 Tundra plants and
to help you. animals

Plant
(primary producer)

Herbivore
(plant eater)

Carnivore
(meat eater)

When I was young, the reindeer provided us with
everything. We ate the meat which was cooked on an
open fire. We lived in tents which were made from
reindeer skins. Every spring and summer we took our
reindeer down to the rich pastures on the coast and in
the autumn and winter came back inland. When there
was snow, reindeer pulled our sledges. Reindeer
herding is still important in the preservation of our
culture.
Life is very different for young Sami people. Less than
10% of the Sami population in Norway is involved in
reindeer herding. We live in houses like other
Norwegian people. Reindeer meat is becoming less
important as a staple food. We are more likely to eat
pizza or sausages. The old sledges have been replaced
by snow scooters. We are also developing craft
industries. We have a workshop in which designer
jewellery is made. It is sold all over the world.

Figure 2 Two generations of Sami people

3 Use this table to compare the old and new Sami
lifestyle.
Old lifestyle New lifestyle

Place to live

Food

Transport

Earning a living