Norway Volunteers Clean Local Streams and Trails in Dugnad Events

Volunteers removed tires, scooters, and other debris from Gjersrudbekken, a stream near Oslo, on April 29, 2026. The cleanup was organized by Rusken, a three-person city government bureau marking its 50th anniversary this year. Participants included students from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences who belong to a group called Feminine and Class.

After the work, the volunteers ate waffles provided at the site.

Henrik Sivesind, a professor at the Institute for Social Research in Oslo, said the practice began when Norway was a poor farming and fishing nation. Neighbors gathered to build churches, bridges, and barns without expectation of personal gain. Sivesind noted that the word dugnad carries a social element tied to the idea of virtue.

He said participants meet neighbors, build networks, and contribute to local needs.

The Norwegian Trekking Association held a separate dugnad in the Bærum neighborhood on the same day. Volunteers built a bonfire and taught children first-aid skills using stuffed animals brought by the kids. Maria Ruud brought her seven-year-old daughter to the event.

She said she has taken part in dugnads for years, including neighborhood cleanups and preparations for Norway’s May 17 Independence Day celebrations. Kristin Sandaker listed multiple dugnads she has joined, including a 24,000-step flea market to support a local youth orchestra.

She said the shared physical work creates fellowship across different groups. Ann Helen Myrvold said she learned the habit in kindergarten and views it as team-building. She and her university friends also raise funds through dugnads for healthcare projects in Africa.