Naustdal Municipality

Naustdal is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1896 until its dissolution in 2020. The area is now part of Sunnfjord Municipality in the traditional district of Sunnfjord in Vestland county. The administrative centre was the village of Naustdal. Other villages in the municipality included Vevring and Helle.
Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the municipality was the 251th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Naustdal Municipality was the 277th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about. The municipality's population density was and its population had increased by 5.2% over the previous 10-year period.
Naustdal was situated between the towns of Førde and Florø, along the Norwegian National Road 5 highway. The Naustdal Tunnel ran through the mountains to connect to the town of Florø. Førde Airport was the closest regional airport, and it was about from Naustdal.
Naustdal Municipality was a farming community with diversity and cultural activities ranging from annual art exhibitions at Vevring to fairs, music, and dancing. Several renowned artists and writers come from Naustdal. Some of the local farmers breed horses, and horse shows are held every second year. Athletes from Naustdal do very well both in national and international championships, especially in volleyball and weightlifting. Naustdal offers rich opportunities for outdoor life such as fishing on the fjord from hired boats. The famous salmon river, Nausta, is in one of the county's largest wilderness areas with mountains, streams, lakes, and mountain farms, and it attracts many tourists from around the world. A recreational area and marina have recently been laid out near the center of Naustdal.

WWW Official Site

General information

The parish of Naustdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1896 when the large Førde Municipality was divided. The northwestern part became the new Naustdal Municipality and the rest of the old municipality remained as Førde Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the areas of Naustdal Municipality that were located south of the Førdefjorden were transferred to Førde Municipality. On the same date, the parts of Vevring Municipality that were located north of the Førdefjorden was merged with the remaining parts of Naustdal Municipality.
On 1 January 2020, Jølster Municipality, Førde Municipality, Naustdal Municipality, and Gaular Municipality were merged to form the large, new Sunnfjord Municipality.

Name

The municipality was named after the old Naustdal farm since the first Naustdal Church was built there. The first element is the name of the local river Nausta. The river name is identical with the word which means "boathouse". The last element is which means "valley" or "dale".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 11 December 1987 and it was in use until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Argent, a chief dancetty azure". This means the arms are divided with a line that is dancetty which divides the chief from the rest of the shield in a ratio of 1:3. The field above the line has a tincture of blue. Below the line, the field has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The two colors are divided by a jagged line which symbolizes the profile of the gables of three boathouses. The arms are canting since the Norwegian word naust means "boathouse". The two colors symbolize the sky above and the silver/white represents the sea. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches

The Church of Norway had two parishes within Naustdal Municipality. It was part of the Sunnfjord prosti in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Parish	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Naustdal	Naustdal Church	Naustdal	1891
Vevring	Vevring Church	Vevring	1846

Government

While it existed, Naustdal Municipality was responsible for primary education, outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Naustdal Municipality was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors

The mayor of Naustdal Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:

1896–1907: Gunder B. Thune
1908–1913: Olai Horstad
1914–1916: Ola Schei
1917–1920: Bendik Erdal
1920–1928: Anders Erdal
1929–1937: Elias Aamot
1938–1938: Oddgeir Erdal
1939–1940: Sivert Reed
1941–1945: Anders Øye
1945–1945: Sivert Reed
1946–1951: Albert Buanes
1952–1955: Ottar Molnes
1955–1955: Alfred Rygg
1956–1956: Olav Vaksdal
1956–1957: Nikolai Svoen
1958–1959: Albert Buanes
1960–1963: Andreas Schei
1964–1975: Ola Fimland
1976–1979: Magnus Grimset
1980–1983: Oddbjørn Schei
1984–1987: Magnus Grimset
1988–1988: Sigmund Brekke
1988–1991: Per Storegjerde
1992–1999: Kjell Klopstad
1999–2007: Jan Herstad
2007–2019: Håkon Myrvang

Geography

Naustdal Municipality was located on the north shore of the Førdefjorden, stretching from the mouth of the fjord to the east, almost reaching to the end of the fjord. It was bordered to the north by Flora Municipality and Gloppen Municipality, to the east by Jølster Municipality, to the south by Førde Municipality, and to the south and west by Askvoll Municipality. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Blåfjellet.

Climate

The climate in Naustdal is wet with a short summer and a mild winter. Naustdal has a yearly precipitation of. There are great regional differences in the climate. There is snow rarely more than a week furthest out in the fjord. Up in the valley the first snow comes in early October and stays until late April/May and of snow is common.

Fishing

Inland fishing

The municipality of Naustdal is ideal for freshwater fishing. Over 30 lakes and connecting streams contain trout. Many of the lakes also contain char. Most of your catch will be small fish but will taste delicious when fried in a pan. In the right places, you can also catch really big fish- trout have been caught in this area.

Salmon and sea trout fishing

The Nausta river is one of the best rivers for salmon in Sogn og Fjordane county. Salmon travel upstream from the river mouth. The stretch from the fjord to the Hovefoss waterfall is also good for sea trout fishing. The small Redal water system contains small salmon, sea trout, trout, and char. Small salmon and sea trout are best caught during floods.

Sea fishing

Naustdal has of shoreline bordering on the fjord. Distances from motor roads to the sea are short at all locations. In outlying, non-farming areas, fishing from the seashore is unrestricted. Fishing from boats on the fjord using a rod or line is free for all. The main types of fish caught in the area include cod, saithe, mackerel, herring, salmon, and sea trout, although every type of fish commonly found in Norwegian waters can be caught here. The Russenes recreational area near the sound at Ålesundet is an excellent place for fishing from land, offering a one-mile shoreline. For boat fishing trips contact boat rental agents or the "Russenes Tur og Fiske", who will bring you to the best fishing places.

Attractions

Nausta river

From the old bridge across the Nausta river near the waterfall Naustdalsfossen you can watch salmon conquer the waterfall in powerful leaps—unless they are caught by rivaling anglers on the banks of the plunging pool. Hooking the fish is difficult — landing it a work of art. The local landowners will show you the best fishing places. Fishing permits may be purchased at the local petrol station or from the landowners. Nausta was in 2005 ranked best in Sogn og Fjordane and number 19 nationally with a total catch of.

Mountains

The large mountain area in the eastern part of Naustdal offers a wealth of scenery. There are large lakes and connecting streams. The trout fishing is excellent and fishing permits are available. "Longvasshytta", a self-catering cabin for hikers, can be reached after a 6-hour hike from the nearest road.

Russenes

Recreational grounds have been laid out at Russeneset near the inlet Ålesundet. Several footpaths in the area are signposted. Along the paths, you will find information posters about cultural history, flora, and fauna. Excellent for fishing, swimming, bird watching or just walking.

Sanden Beach

Recreational grounds are laid out along the fjord near the center of Naustdal. There is a marina, sandy beach, diving tower, and a place for beach volleyball.

Air Combat Museum

The museum covers the air battle between German and British aircraft over Sunnfjord on 9 February 1945, also known at the Black Friday. In the museum there are objects from the battles, airplane parts, maps, and photographs. It has a rich collection of splendid model airplanes from the navigator Bernard Nicholl, who participated in the battles.