Leif Ryvarden was born in Bergen as a son of Einar Norberg Johansen (1900–1959) and Hjørdis Randulff (1912–1975).
Ryvarden was a member of the board from 1972 to 1985, and deputy leader since 1982, of the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association.
[2] He was a prolific writer for the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association Yearbook as well as their magazine Fjell og Vidde.
[8] He was also a member of the board of Greenpeace Norway for a year and a half, but resigned from this position in 1992 due to disagreements over the organization's strategy and priorities.
He cited that all species are equally important, and also reminded that there were other pressing environmental issues in Norway at that time.
[9] Later, Ryvarden publicly supported Bjørn Økern, who was fired as leader of Greenpeace Norway in 1992.
[8] A special issue of the scientific journal Kurtziana was dedicated to Ryvarden "in honour of his devotion to South American mycology".
[7] Fungal taxa named in his honour include the polypore genera Leifiporia[14] and Ryvardenia,[15] and the species Daedalea ryvardeniana.