Ivar Aavatsmark (forester)

Ivar Aavatsmark (14 December 1864 – 1 February 1947) was a Norwegian forester, military officer, and politician for the Liberal Left Party and later the Liberal Party.

Aavatsmark graduated as a forester from the forestry school at Kongsberg in 1886. He worked as a forest manager and consultant in various locations throughout Norway before becoming involved in politics. He held several local government positions, including serving as mayor of Verran.

Aavatsmark was elected to the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) multiple times, representing the constituency of Nord-Trøndelag. He served in parliament from 1906 to 1909, 1913 to 1915, 1919 to 1921, and 1925 to 1936. He was a prominent figure in defense policy and served as Minister of Defence in several governments: 1919-1920, 1921-1923, and 1924-1926. During his time as Minister of Defence, he worked to modernize and strengthen Norway's armed forces.

In addition to his political career, Aavatsmark remained active in forestry, contributing to the development of forestry practices and policies in Norway.