Junkerdal-Nationalpark
The Junkerdal National Park (Norwegian Junkerdal nasjonalpark ), is a 682 km ² national park in Norway, which belongs to the municipalities Saltdal and Fauske in the province of Nordland. The park is located in a mountainous area around the Skaitielva River, northeast of the eponymous Junker Dalen valley. It was founded in 2004 to protect the almost untouched nature, with its biological diversity and the different ecosystems and cultural heritage in the area.
The Junkerdal lies to the east at the Swedish border and north of the Junkerdalsura nature reserve. To the north it borders on the place Sulitjelma. West of Saltdalen to which the Junkerdal National Park is bordered on the southeast, is the Saltfjellet -Svartisen National Park.
Geography, landscape and geology
The area of the National Park is one of the largest, most pristine areas in Norway, also this wilderness continues on the Swedish side. The soil is very fertile in the entire park. The National Park is located between the Junkerdal valley in the south and the place Sulitjelma in the north. The varied landscape was significantly during the last ice age. On the plateau in the north of the park there are numerous lakes, the largest of which is the Balvatnet. In the mountains in the western part there are some minor and major rivers that drain almost all to the west in the Saltdalen. The South, in turn, is dominated by large valleys and mountain ranges. In the middle of the park is around the Balvatnet the central mountain range. One of the most famous mountains in the park is the Solvågtind.
Since the Junkerdal National Park lies in the rain shadow of the Svartisen Glacier, the climate of the park is different in some cases considerably from areas adjacent to the park, but are not affected by this rain shadow. One consequence of the rain shadow are warmer and drier summers.
Flora and Fauna
The vegetation becomes very lush in the park and includes some rare species such as White Mountain Avens, Alaska rhododendrons bloom Bellflower, Everlasting, Upright herb lice and lice Haired herb. Especially in the south of the park rare plants such as Carex scirpoidea, Arctic poppy, Draba subcapitata, Low fleabane and Arnica angustifolia occur.
Despite the northern latitude of the national park birds come in before Junkerdal are otherwise in these latitudes hardly to be found. These include gyrfalcon, golden eagle, red-throated diver, black-throated diver and long-tailed duck.
Benefiting from the rich flora also fauna made relatively diverse. While lynx, wolverine and Bergren are permanently in the park home, rarely seen brown bears, which come mostly from Sweden across the border.
In the National Park and the rare species of butterfly Colias Dark Alpenbläuling and hecla live.
In the waters in and around the National Park, there is the largest fish stocks of Arctic char and trout in the county of Nordland.
Heritage
The area has been used at least since the 16th century by the seeds as pasture for their reindeer herds, as well as settlement and hunting area, you could take at various finds. To date, the seeds float in the spring of their reindeer to the meadows in the park. Further still, there are some huts of the seeds in the National Park.
Tourism and Management
In the park there are four large cabins for overnight stays and beyond are other smaller cabins. The most famous hut is the Argaladhytta. There are also good opportunities for fishing and elk hunting, but a license is required for both.
The Nordland National Park Centre at the E6 acts as an information center for all national parks in the north country.
See also
- National parks in Norway