Summer Mountain Farming in Norway: Attendance Factors Among 'Seter' farmers

Summer mountain farming (‘seterdrift’) in Norway is a transhumance practice in great decline. Being an extensive farming practice it relies on out-field resources in mountain areas and landscape areas and has been practiced for centuries. ‘Seterdrift’ creates values on many levels, such as continuing traditions and knowledge, and caring for an open and living cultural landscape, high in biodiversity. This study has investigated and identified attendance factors among ‘seter’ farmers. Seven main factors were identified: 1. The ‘seter’ is important for the farming system by contributing with important resources and animal welfare; 2. Farmers work as stewards for the landscape and traditions; 3. Farmers create societal values through dissemination of agriculture, food production, culture and traditions on the ‘seter’; 4. The ‘seter’ is its own lifestyle that creates work that for farmers feel meaningful and creates work pride; 5. On the ‘seter’ a distinctive closeness to nature and livestock is experienced; 6. Recreation and well-being is experienced on the ‘seter’ , in nature and in the work; 7. The attachment to the ‘seter’ as a place is strong and emotional, created through good experiences and childhood memories. What was found is that farmers have a strong attachment to their ‘seter’, as a place and as a farming practice. The ‘seter’ creates an environment where farmers thrive and feel motivated, and much is connected to all good experiences and closer relationships with the livestock, nature and people