Det norske Skogfrøverk

Det norske Skogfrøverk, commonly known as Skogfrøverket, is a Norwegian foundation (stiftelse) that holds responsibility for the seed supply of the entire Norwegian forestry sector. It was established as a foundation in 1996, when the Norwegian state, through the Ministry of Agriculture (Landbruksdepartementet), sold Skogfrøverket to Det norske Skogselskap. The foundation is based at Martodden in Hamar, Norway, and its stated social mission is to provide quality seeds to Norwegian forestry. The operational roots of the institution reach back much further. The activity was first established in 1895 under the name Hamar Klænganstalt, and it was expanded and modernized in 1937, when the name was changed to Hamar Statskleng. The building on Tommelstad's ground in Ringgata in Hamar burned several times, most recently in 1946. Construction of the new Statens Skogfrøverk at Martodden was completed in 1953, and it became one of the largest and most modern cone-drying plants in the world. Today Skogfrøverket is responsible for the whole forestry sector's seed supply and carries out tasks including cone collection (konglesanking), seed production, seed breeding, forest tree improvement (skogplanteforedling), seed treatment, seed testing, and the sale of seeds to nurseries and forest owners. It organizes cone collection in good seed years, both in ordinary forests and in seed orchards, and provides guidance services such as a provenance selector to help foresters choose the right provenance for planting. It also conducts tree improvement to deliver seeds that produce forests with good climate adaptation and growth. The foundation publishes statistics on the Norwegian forest plant market. According to its 2025 statistics, Norwegian forest nurseries delivered 49.809 million plants to forestry in 2025, an increase of about 2.2 million plants, or 4.6%, compared with 2024. Imports of plants remained stable at 5.193 million, and a total of roughly 58.180 million plants were sold for forestry purposes, including plants for Christmas tree and ornamental greenery production. Skogfrøverket also gathers annual reports on seed and cone setting from across the country; in 2026 it reported abundant spruce cones in higher-lying forests in Eastern Norway and north of the mountains, presenting a rare opportunity for forestry to secure seeds for use over the next 20 years in those areas.

The institution that became Det norske Skogfrøverk began in 1895 under the name Hamar Klænganstalt. It was expanded and modernized in 1937, when its name was changed to Hamar Statskleng. The facility, located on Tommelstad's ground in Ringgata in Hamar, burned several times, most recently in 1946. Construction of the new Statens Skogfrøverk at Martodden was completed in 1953, and it became one of the largest and most modern cone-drying plants in the world. In 1996, the Norwegian state, through the Ministry of Agriculture (Landbruksdepartementet), sold Skogfrøverket to Det norske Skogselskap, and the foundation Stiftelsen Det norske Skogfrøverk was established. The foundation is based at Martodden in Hamar and is responsible for the seed supply of the entire forestry sector. Today Skogfrøverket carries out tasks including cone collection (konglesanking), seed production, seed breeding, forest tree improvement (skogplanteforedling), seed treatment, seed testing, and the sale of seeds to nurseries and forest owners. It organizes cone collection in good seed years, both in ordinary forests and in seed orchards, and provides guidance such as a provenance selector to help choose the right provenance for planting. It also conducts tree improvement to deliver seeds that produce forests with good climate adaptation and growth. The foundation publishes statistics on the Norwegian forest plant market. According to its 2025 statistics, Norwegian forest nurseries delivered 49.809 million plants to forestry in 2025, an increase of about 2.2 million plants, or 4.6%, compared with 2024. Imports of plants remained stable at 5.193 million, and a total of roughly 58.180 million plants were sold for forestry purposes, including plants for Christmas tree and ornamental greenery production. Skogfrøverket also gathers annual reports on seed and cone setting from across the country; in 2026 it reported abundant spruce cones in higher-lying forests in Eastern Norway and north of the mountains, presenting a rare opportunity for forestry to secure seeds for use over the next 20 years in those areas.

• 2026

  Skogfrøverket reported abundant spruce cones in higher-lying forests in Eastern Norway and north of the mountains.

• 2025

  Norwegian forest nurseries delivered 49.809 million plants to forestry, up 4.6% from 2024.

• 1996

  The Norwegian state sold Skogfrøverket to Det norske Skogselskap; Stiftelsen Det norske Skogfrøverk was established.

• 1953

  Construction of the new Statens Skogfrøverk at Martodden completed; became one of the largest and most modern cone-drying plants in the world.

• 1946

  The building in Ringgata, Hamar, burned for the last time.

• 1937

  Expanded and modernized; name changed to Hamar Statskleng.

• 1895

  Activity established under the name Hamar Klænganstalt.

National, non-commercial foundation ensuring quality forest tree seeds for Norwegian forestry, with a focus on climate adaptation and growth.

• Forest tree seeds

  Seeds for Norwegian forestry, including spruce and pine, produced and supplied nationally.

• Seedlings for forestry

  Plants delivered by Norwegian forest nurseries to forestry; 49.809 million in 2025.

• Provenance selector

  Guidance service to help choose the right provenance for planting.

1. 1Skogfrøverket - landsdekkende tilgang på skogfrø av høy kvalitetskogfroverket.no
2. 2Det norske Skogfrøverk - Wikipediano.wikipedia.org
3. 3Wikidata Q11965497wikidata.org