"You would have to travel as far as the Ural Mountains and New Zealand to find similar conditions," says a researcher.
One example of this rich olivine pine forest can be found in Bjørkedalen. The underlying bedrock often contains rare, heavy-metal–rich minerals that can reach toxic levels for many plants.(Photo: Tor Erik Brandrud / NINA)
There are only a few square kilometres of olivine forest in all of Norway.
You can find it on the west coast, in the area between Sunnmøre and Nordfjord. Most of it is located in Bjørkedalen in Volda.
Olivine forest is a very special type of nature, according to the Norwegian Environment Agency. And it's severely threatened.
What makes it special is that it grows on rocks containing the mineral olivine. Pine trees thrive on this mineral, growing tall and lush. The same goes for a group of very special species.
"You would have to travel as far as the Ural Mountains and New Zealand to find similar conditions," says Tor Erik Brandrud, a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).
Annonse
What is olivine?
Olivine refers both to the mineral olivine and to olivine rock, which is a rare type of rock formed deep in the Earth's crust.
Olivine is one of Norway's most important industrial minerals. According to the Geological Survey of Norway, the country accounts for roughly half of global production.
The mineral contains large amounts of iron and magnesium, and also includes rare elements such as chromium, cobalt, and nickel.
Olivine has a moss-green colour and is therefore popular as a gemstone.(Photo: NGU)
It's used in things that need to withstand heat, such as bricks in fireplaces and smelters.
For many years, olivine sand was the most widely used form in Norway. The sand is good at absorbing heavy metals and can therefore be used to cover contaminated waste from old mining areas, shooting ranges, and harbour areas.
Olivine forests grow on magnesium- and iron-rich bedrock. These forests are largely dominated by pine trees and are therefore known as olivine pine forests.
A number of species thrive in this environment, including brown spleenwort, green spleenwort, and shining spleenwort, all of which are ferns.
Researchers call them olivine specialists.
These are species or strains that are partly or entirely tied to olivine bedrock. A defining feature of olivine pine forests is exposed rock faces supporting a uniquely rich biodiversity.
The orchids red helleborine, bird's-nest orchid, and fragrant orchid are also found in olivine forest.
Calcareous fungi also flourish, thanks to ample magnesium, which produces effects similar to those of lime.
The fern brown spleenwort (Asplenium adulterinum) thrives in olivine forest.(Photo: Václav Lupínek / CC BY-SA 3.0)
Red helleborine is an orchid with purple-red flowers that thrives on lime-rich soil.(Photo: Hauk Liebe / CC BY 4.0)
A forest under threat
Annonse
When the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre released a new Red List of habitat types towards the end of 2025, 40 per cent were classified as threatened.
Olivine forest, however, was not included or assessed.
"This is unfortunate, because we need all the knowledge we can get about the status of this vulnerable forest type," says Brandrud.
"Olivine forests host a unique diversity and ranks among Norway’s most endangered forest habitats. There's probably no other forest type in Norway that's 'consumed' to the same extent by mining and other land-use interventions," he points out.
Here you can see where olivine forest is found in Norway:
An international responsibility
Olivine forest is classified as a selected habitat type, meaning it must be managed with special care and under specific guidelines.
Brandrud believes Norway carries an international responsibility to protect these forests.
The main threats come from mining, forestry, and roads. Industry wants to extract olivine, and heavy vehicles travel in tracks and on roads.
Additional pressures include grazing by animals and the spread of invasive species.
"The threat is actually quite acute," says Brandrud.
He therefore believes olivine forests should be reassessed and will most likely continue to be listed as severely threatened.
Differences in olivine pine forests
Some olivine forests are considered rich, while others are poor.
The poor ones have less species diversity because the humus layer is thick and the bedrock lies deeper below. These areas resemble many other pine forests.
The rich olivine forests, on the other hand, have high species diversity where the soil is shallower. In some places the rock lies exposed. And this is where the mentioned ferns, fungi, and orchids live.
"It's the rich olivine forest, with its 'peculiar' diversity, that is important to preserve," says Brandrud.
