Schiermonnikoog National Park
| Schiermonnikoog National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Landscape in Schiermonnikoog National Park
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 Map of the Netherlands
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| Location | Schiermonnikoog, Friesland, Netherlands |
| Coordinates | 53°29′21″N 6°13′55″E / 53.4893°N 6.232°ECoordinates: 53°29′21″N 6°13′55″E / 53.4893°N 6.232°E |
| Area | 72 km2 (28 sq mi) |
| Established | 1989 |
| http://www.nationaalpark.nl/schiermonnikoog/default.xml | |
Schiermonnikoog National Park is a national park in the Dutch province of Friesland. It was founded in 1989. It covers about 72 km2 (28 sq mi), the majority of the island Schiermonnikoog.
The island arose during the last glacial period and its shape has been very variable since then. Dominant processes are sand drifting, erosion and sedimentation along the coasts, characteristic for a tidal landscape. In former times, only few people lived on the island, most fishermen. Around 1900, the state started forestry programs to prevent sand drifting. In addition dikes were built to protect the island and its population. Some of the marshes were embanked in the course of time and transformed to polders for agriculture. During the 20th century tourism and recreation became more important and part of the island was designated as nature reserve. At present, we find dunes, forests, polders, tidal flats, marshes and beaches on the island, as well as a small lake and a village.
The island has a very rich fauna and flora. In the dunes we find common hawthorn, the common sea-buckthorn, honeysuckle, on the marhes sea lavender, sea wormwood, sea aster and glasswort. On the whole island lichens and mushrooms can be found, as well as many species of insects. On the marshes and tidal flats thousands of birds occur, such as common redshank, barnacle goose, spoonbill, hen harrier, oystercatcher, red knot, bar-tailed godwit, curlew and European herring gull. In the past the rabbit was very common, but because of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), the species is rare now. In the sea there are gray seal, common seal, eelgrass and many species of seaweeds.
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Wikipedia