Bjugn Municipality

Bjugn is a former municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It existed from 1853 until its dissolution on 1 January 2020, when it was merged into Ørland Municipality. It was part of the Fosen region. The village of Botngård served as the administrative centre.

General Information

The municipality was established in 1853 when it was separated from the larger Ørland Municipality, with an initial population of 2,903. On 1 January 1899, Bjugn was divided into three: the western coastal district became Nes Municipality, the southern district became Skjørn Municipality, and the remainder stayed as a much smaller Bjugn Municipality. On 1 January 1964, a large merger reunited Nes Municipality (population 1,107), Jøssund Municipality (population 1,917), Bjugn Municipality (population 1,240), and the northern part of Stjørna Municipality (population 676) into a new, larger Bjugn Municipality. On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the old Sør-Trøndelag county to the new Trøndelag county. On 1 January 2020, Bjugn and Ørland merged to become a new, larger Ørland Municipality, with the administrative centre determined to be the village of Bjugn.

Name

The municipality is named after the old Bjugn farm (Old Norse: Bjugn), derived from the Old Norse word bjúgr, meaning "bent" or "crooked" — likely referring to the bent path of the local Bjugnfjorden.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms was granted on 17 February 1989 and used until the municipality's dissolution on 1 January 2020. The blazon is Azure, a rudder Or (a blue field with a gold rudder), symbolizing the historical importance of fishing in the municipality. It was designed by Einar H. Skjervold.

Geography

Bjugn was located on the Fosen peninsula on the mainland, plus many islands including the Tarva islands. The Asenvågøy Lighthouse was in the far north. The Bjugnfjorden and Stjørnfjorden were partially within the municipality. The highest point was the 492.5-metre (1,616 ft) mountain Seksortklumpen. Neighboring municipalities were Ørland to the southwest, Rissa to the south and southeast, and Åfjord to the northeast. There were five nature reserves, the largest being Hildremsvatnet Nature Reserve at 23,441 decares (23.441 km²), which included boreal rainforest (Scandinavian coastal conifer forests).

Demographics

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, Bjugn Municipality covered 384 square kilometres (148 sq mi), making it the 245th largest by area out of 422 municipalities in Norway. It was the 205th most populous, with 4,904 residents. The population density was 12.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (33/sq mi), and the population had increased by 8% over the preceding decade. The demonym for residents is Bjugning.

Government

The municipality was governed by a municipal council (Kommunestyre) of 21 directly elected representatives serving four-year terms. The mayor was indirectly elected by the council. The last mayor (2014–2019) was Ogne Undertun of the Labour Party (Ap). Bjugn was under the jurisdiction of the Fosen District Court and the Frostating Court of Appeal.

Economy and Infrastructure

Main industries included agriculture, fishing, sea farming, and other related industries. Bjugn joined the inter-municipal waste management agency Fosen Renovasjon when it was created in 1997.

Sports

The Fosenhallen, an indoor multi-use ice rink located in the municipality, hosted the 2014 World Junior Speed Skating Championships.

Churches

The Church of Norway had three parishes within Bjugn, part of the Fosen prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nidaros:

Notable Mayors

Notable mayors include Alf Nebb (Sp), who served from 1946–1975 and again from 1984–1987, and Arent M. Henriksen (SV), who served from 1995–1999.