Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap

What Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap does

Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap (DBA Byfjellskogene) is a Norwegian private foundation (privat stiftelse) established in 1868, headquartered at the historic Øvre Bleken Gård (Sagen) in Bergen. Its core function is the maintenance, preservation, and stewardship of Bergen's city mountain forests — primarily Fløyen and Ulriken — including over 25 km of forest roads, trails, fences, ditches, paths, rest areas, benches, and signage. Originally founded by Bergen merchants to plant trees on bare mountain sides, the foundation has evolved into a civic-scale outdoor recreation and heritage management organization.

The foundation operates with a lean staff of 5 (a Skogmester serving as CEO-equivalent, two forest workers, one arborist, and one communications coordinator) supplemented by a volunteer corps, Dugnadsgjengen, of approximately 35 contributors delivering around 5,000 hours of trail and infrastructure maintenance annually. It also operates a related subsidiary, Byfjellskogene A/S, which formally holds employee positions.

Revenue is generated through four streams: annual individual memberships at 400 NOK, rental of four historic venues at Øvre Bleken Gård (Løeloftet, Våningshuset, Nybygget, Løekjelleren) to members only, multi-year corporate partnerships through the Byfjellslauget program (50,000 NOK annually for 5-year terms; partners include Grieg Foundation, Jaeger, Rieber og søn, Ulriken643), and supplementary proceeds from the Norsk Tipping Grasrotandelen lottery program. Distribution is direct: self-service membership signup via the website with Vipps payment, and email-based booking for venue rentals. The foundation has no technology product, no AI or software components, and serves a single geographic market in Bergen, Norway.

Name

Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap

Legal name

Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap

Website

https://byfjellskogene.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap is an 1868 Norwegian private foundation that maintains over 25 km of forest roads and trails on Bergen's city mountains (Fløyen and Ulriken), funded by individual memberships, corporate partnerships, venue rentals, and lottery proceeds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: Annual membership at 400 NOK per year, providing access to guided tours, map and compass courses, and venue rental discounts. Members support the foundation's work maintaining trails, roads, and forest areas.
2. Venue Rental: Rental of four historical venues at Øvre Bleken Gård (Løeloftet, Våningshuset, Nybygget, Løekjelleren) exclusively to members. Revenue supports the foundation's operations.
3. Byfjellslauget Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners pay 50,000 NOK annually for 5 years, receiving annual free access to venue facilities and association with the foundation's outdoor recreation mission.
4. Grasrotandelen (Norsk Tipping): Grasrotandelen program allows lottery players to direct up to 7% of their stake to the foundation as a charitable beneficiary, providing supplementary funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap is a private Norwegian foundation that manages and maintains the forests, roads, trails, and shared areas of Bergen's city mountains (Fløyen and Ulriken). Its offerings include forest and nature management of over 25 km of infrastructure, an annual membership program (Medlemskap) at 400 NOK, rental of four historical venues at Øvre Bleken Gård (Løeloftet, Våningshuset, Nybygget, Løekjelleren), and guided tours and map/compass courses for members.

Product overview

Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap is a private foundation established in 1868 that manages and maintains Bergen's mountain forests. The organization's core offerings center on forest and nature management, membership program, and venue rentals. The membership program (Medlemskap) at 400 NOK annually provides access to four historic venue rentals at Øvre Bleken Gård (Løeloftet, Våningshuset, Nybygget, and Løekjelleren), guided tours, and map/compass courses. The foundation maintains over 25 kilometers of forest roads and trails, offering outdoor recreation access to the public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medlemskap (Annual Membership Program) Annual membership program at 400 NOK per year for individuals, providing access to four historical venue rentals at Øvre Bleken Gård, guided tours, map and compass courses, and family events. Members also support the foundation's work maintaining trails, roads, and forest areas.
• Løeloftet Venue Rental A rustic loft venue accommodating up to 30 guests around handcrafted wooden tables, featuring 20 different tree species on the ceiling and panoramic views of Bergen city. Available exclusively to foundation members for celebrations and gatherings.
• Våningshuset Venue Rental The historic main house of Øvre Bleken Gård, dating to 1770, featuring a cozy dining room for up to 20 guests with two large tables in historical furniture-making tradition. Available to members for special occasions requiring an authentic historical setting.
• Nybygget Venue Rental The foundation's administrative building constructed in 2012, featuring a meeting hall for up to 34 guests with kitchen facilities, audiovisual equipment including projector and piano. Available to members for corporate events and celebrations.
• Løekjelleren Venue Rental A basement venue beneath Løeloftet with 4 medium-sized tables accommodating 32 guests. Best suited for events that can be combined with outdoor activities, particularly suitable for summer and autumn occasions.
• Skog- og naturforvaltning (Forest and Nature Management) Maintenance and management of over 25 kilometers of forest roads, paths, fences, ditches, rest areas, benches, and signs on Fløyen and Ulriken mountains. Includes clearing viewpoints, maintaining trails, and preserving the ecosystem for outdoor recreation.
• Guidete turer og kurs (Guided Tours and Navigation Courses) Educational offerings including guided tours in the mountain forests and map and compass navigation courses for members (free) and non-members (200 NOK), promoting physical and mental health through outdoor activity.
• Byfjellslauget Corporate Partnership Program Corporate partnership program targeting Bergen businesses for 5-year commitments at 50,000 NOK annually, receiving annual free venue access and brand association with the foundation's outdoor recreation mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25+ km of roads and trails maintained
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• ByfjellslaugetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Byfjellslauget is a network of Bergen businesses established in 2014 and administered by BST. Partners contribute financially to trail and infrastructure projects in exchange for annual venue access. Completed projects include Oppstemten, Skredderdalen, Tippetue, Skiveien, Skottbergskleiva, Gunhildsbrekka, and others. Current members: Grieg Foundation, Jaeger, Rieber og søn, Ulriken643.
• Bergen Kommune (Municipality)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBergen Municipality transferred Øvre Bleken Gård to the foundation in 1901 and provides ongoing support including a municipal representative on the board. The foundation also receives municipal funding and works closely with Bymiljøetaten (City Environment Agency).
• Skogselskapet Bergen og HordalandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForestry association that collaborates with BST on hiring and workforce development. Joint job postings and staffing initiatives for forest management work.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global nonprofit operating at vastly larger scale with a similar member/donor-supported model for nature preservation and public access. Comparable in membership-driven conservation funding and volunteer engagement, though focused on land conservation at scale rather than urban mountain management.

Others

• Visit Bergen: Bergen's official destination marketing organization, promoting Fløyen, Ulriken, and other local attractions. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor - BST's trails and venues are promoted by Visit Bergen to tourism audiences.
• Norsk Friluftsliv: Umbrella organization for Norwegian outdoor recreation, representing 14 member organizations on policy and public funding. Thematically adjacent - both advocate for public access to nature - though it operates as a federation rather than a direct service provider.

Direct peers

• Statskog SF: Norwegian state-owned enterprise managing public forest and mountain land, including outdoor recreation, forestry, and real estate. Comparable in operating model for public forest access and outdoor recreation infrastructure, though at much larger national scale.
• Bergen og Hordaland Turlag: Local DNT chapter covering Bergen's mountain recreation areas, including Fløyen and Ulriken. Directly comparable geographic footprint and trail-maintenance responsibility, operating as a competing/complementary outdoor recreation steward in Bergen.
• Den Norske Turistforening (DNT): Norway's national trekking association, with membership-based model and volunteer-maintained trail network across Norway. Closely comparable in mission (public outdoor recreation access) and revenue model (membership fees, hut rentals, partnerships).
• Skogselskapet (Norwegian Forestry Association): National nonprofit with a near-identical founding mission to BST - 'planting Norway's mountains' - and a similar historical charter dating to the late 1800s. Direct mission overlap in forest planting, conservation, and public outdoor access.

Emerging players

• Fortidsminneforeningen: Norwegian Society for Preservation of Ancient Monuments - nonprofit that owns and operates historical properties with member-based access. Similar in operating a heritage estate with membership/community engagement, though focused on buildings rather than forests.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7-VBPI1ToulTmApp_R9-ng
• Facebookfacebook.com/Byfjellskogene
• Instagraminstagram.com/byfjellskogene
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bergens-skog--og-tr%C3%A6plantnings--selskap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bergens Skog- og Træplantningsselskap