Vindelfjällens Nature Reserve
| Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve | |
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IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
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| Coordinates | 65°55′23″N 15°19′04″E / 65.923056°N 15.317778°ECoordinates: 65°55′23″N 15°19′04″E / 65.923056°N 15.317778°E |
| Area | 562,772 hectares (2,172.87 sq mi; 1,390,640 acres; 5,627.72 km2) |
| Established | 1974 |
| Visitors | 412,000 (in 2000) |
| Governing body | county of Västerbotten |
The Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve (Swedish: Vindelfjällens naturreservat) is a nature reserve located in the municipalities of Sorsele and Storuman in Västerbotten County of Swedish Lapland. It is the largest natural reserve in Sweden and one of the largest protected areas in Europe, totaling 562,772 ha (approx. 5,628 km2).
Most of the reserve is made up of several Scandinavian Mountains, the main ones being Artfjället, Norra Storfjället, Ammarfjället and Björkfjället. Most of the landscapes of the Swedish mountains are represented. This ranges from the pronounced alpine character of Norra Storfjället, which includes the highlight of the reserve, the Norra Sytertoppen (1,768 m), to the plateau and plains near the base of the mountains. The differences in elevation highlight the diversity of rocks in the mountains. Among the mountains are the valleys and waterways of the Ume River drainage basin. This includes a portion of the Vindel River, after which the reserve is named. Towards the east, the elevation decreases and the mountains give way to the Lapland Plains.
This landscape diversity also includes biodiversity. The reserve covers the primary forests of the Nordic taiga in the eastern plains to alpine tundra and birch forests in the west. In addition, it houses a large number of wetlands, which are home to an abundance of bird species, especially at Marsivagge and around the lake Tärnasjön, the latter recognized as a Ramsar site. The mountains are also home to the arctic fox, a critically endangered species in Scandinavia and one of the symbols of the reserve.
The region has been populated since the end of the last ice age or about 9000 years. Originally, it was likely the ancestors of today's Sami, a nomadic people of Northern Europe. They initially lived by gathering and hunting, especially deer, but gradually developed a culture based on breeding and ranching, showing evidence of transhumance movements. This lifestyle left few traces, but some traps, old foundations, tombs and various artifacts have been found scattered throughout the landscape. Although partly translated into Swedish, geographic names in the region offer some information on the life and culture of the Sami. The Swedes started to colonize the area in the eighteenth century, encouraged by incentives from the state. The population in the current reserve boundaries, however, remained minimal. In the middle of the twentieth century, the hydroelectric industry expanded to the north of the country and tried to exploit the Vindel River for electric power, but environmental protests managed to protect the river and its watershed. In 1974, the reserve was established, protecting the unspoiled nature of the mountains of Vindel River watershed. In 1988, the reserve was extended to protect the primary forests of the foothills. Recently there has been discussions regarding transforming the nature reserve into a national park to improve the protection of the area.
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Wikipedia