The Royal Estates and Parks
The Department of Royal Estates and Parks is responsible for the management, maintenance and development of the Royal estates. This includes the buildings and their interiors as well as the park areas adjoined to the Royal estates. The estates must be treated as protected.
The responsibility for maintaining the buildings is shared between the Royal Court and the Norwegian government building and construction adviser Statsbygg, which handles the external maintenance of the buildings.
The department also performs administrative tasks and caretaker services on the private royal estates and manages the King's rights to Stiftsgården in Trondheim and Gamlehaugen in Bergen.
Estate Management
The Section for Estate Management ensures that the royal properties are always prepared for all activities. Rooms and interiors at the Royal Palace, Oscarshall summer palace, and Bygdø Royal Farm are maintained and ready for the various events throughout the year. The Section’s has its own craftsmen who carry out restoration and maintenance of antique furniture and interiors in collaboration with the Royal Collections. The use of original materials and old craftsmanship traditions are kept alive.
Larger-scale renovation and rehabilitation projects are headed by the section, in cooperation with Statsbygg, in close collaboration with Statsbygg and the Directorate for Cultural Heritage.
The Royal Estates and Parks
The Garden Section
The Garden Section is responsible for the operation and upkeep of parks and gardens adjoined to the Royal estates.
Upkeep of the parks with their 2 000 trees is a considerable task, managed by the Garden Section's arborist. Environment-friendly methods and promoting biodiversity are given priority. This includes the preservation of old trees and converting lawn into flowering medows.
The department is led by the Palace Steward, Per Arne Bjørnstad.
Environment-friendly methods and promoting biodiversity are given priority. This includes the preservation of old trees and converting lawn into flowering medows.
The gardeners also work to highlight different eras in the park's long history, and several historical elements in the Queen's Park have been recreated. During 2023 the restauration of the romantic gardens surrounding Oscarshall Summer Palace was concluded.
Slottsparken: Grønn parkdrift
Grønn parkdrift
Slottsgartneriet legger stor vekt på grønn drift. Maskiner spiller stadig en rolle, men bensindrevne småmaskiner er erstattet av elektriske, og gartnerne bruker elbiler i det daglige arbeidet i parken.
Bruken av kjemiske plantevernmidler er redusert. Det er flere måter å bekjempe ugress på: Én metode er å etablere vegetasjon som fortrenger ugresset, eller satse på et uttrykk som er naturhermende. Da blir behovet for luking mindre, siden ønsket er å etterlikne vill natur og litt ugress kan tolereres.
Stauder og eng
Stauder blir brukt i stadig større omfang, i stedet for sommerblomster som må erstattes hvert år. Områder som tidligere var plener som måtte klippes hver uke, er gjort om til enger. På denne måten sparer vi både arbeidstimer og drivstoff. Samtidig får parken et rikere uttrykk og et større artsmangfold, siden engvegetasjonen byr på mat og levesteder for insekter og småkryp av ulike slag.
Løv som ressurs
Hver høst faller enorme mengder løv i Slottsparken. Mye bli malt opp der det ligger. Da får meitemarken litt å jobbe med, og dette gir god jordstruktur. Løv blåses vekk fra parkens stier og inn i staudefeltene, hvor det gir fin vinterisolasjon. Resten blir levert for kompostering ved Oslo kommunes anlegg. Ferdig kompostjord blir bragt tilbake til Slottsparken.
Målet er bærekraftig skjøtsel og en artsrik park.