Northern Norway project is close to Norrøna’s heart
Outdoor brand Norrøna has announced a new partnership with Oslo-based environmental non-profit Bellona. They have joined forces to launch a new centre for marine restoration in Kabelvåg, on the remote Lofoten peninsula in northern Norway.
Researchers, technology developers, businesses and local communities will work with Bellona at the centre in an attempt to address what the two partners have described as “one of Europe’s biggest ecosystem crises”.
Since the 1970s, an area of 5,000 square-kilometres in northern Norway has changed from being “lush kelp forests to barren sea urchin deserts”, they said. This has led to a significant loss of carbon storage and biodiversity, as well as a loss of 50,000 tonnes of large fish per year.
They said the cause is human activity, primarily past overfishing of sea urchin predators like cod and wolf fish.
“It feels natural to collaborate with Bellona on this important ocean project,” said Norrøna chief executive, Jørgen Jørgensen. “Our hearts beat especially hard for northern Norway. Many of our most important collections and products are inspired by nature in the north.”
