Sarek and Padjelanta National Parks
Quick facts
- European Diploma of Protected Areas (code SE940002)
- Since Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CET 1967
- Country: Sweden
- Administrative region: Not available
- Surface area: 3954 km2 (395400.00 ha)
- Marine area: Not available
Source and more information: Council of Europe
Description
Site contact authorities
| Manager | Fjällenheten i Norbottens lân Asgatan 20 S-96040 Jokkmokk |
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| Information | Fjällenheten i Norbottens lân Åsgatan 20 S-96040 Jokkmokk Swedish environmental protection agency S-106 48 Stockolm |
| Official contact international | |
| Official contact national | |
| Official contact regional | |
| Official contact local |
Description
| General character of the site | Europe's largest national park. Undisturbed mountain landscape with impressive peaks, glaciers and steep-sided valleys in Sarek, and wide plateaux with extensive lakes in Padjelanta. |
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| Quality | |
| Vulnerability | The remoteness of the region has preserved it from the influences of civilisation. Snow-mobiles for other than the saami people are forbidden. But snow-mobiles are not a major problem in the parks. Nevertheless, in Padjelanta there are rising problems according to the motorizing of the reindeer herding. Noise arise from helicopters and motorcycles, used when colleting the reindeer herds. In some parts the use of MC's make wear and tear, followed by erosion, on the vegetation cover. |
| Designation | |
| Owner | The parks are owned by the state. |
| Documentation | Council of Europe - European Diploma Series (1968), Sarek and Padjelanta National Parks Sweden, Strasbourg |
| Habitat types | |
| Flora | |
| Fauna | |
| Potential vegetation | |
| Geomorphology | Sarek is the most genuine high mountain region in Sweden. Nowhere else in the country is there such a concentration of mighty peaks and summits and hanging glaciers. Several massifs have peaks over 2000 m and there are 19 peaks above 1900 m. Highest mountain is Sarektjakko, 2089 m. Its massif is very impressive with an assemblage of peaks and ridges. Almost the whole of the national park is above the coniferous forest limit. Only the southern and south-eastern parts extend into the coniferous forest at Lake Rittakjaure at an altitude of 477 above sea level. No other region in Sweden has so many glaciers as Sarek. At the turn of the century there were a hundred or so. Now there are 96, covering an area of 196 km².Padjelanta National Park is a wide, open mountain plain with large lakes and occasional high mountains. Only in two places does this park extend down into the birch forest. No parts of Padjelanta have become so famous for beauty as Lake Virihaure, which is one of the most beautiful in the Swedish mountains. As always when we are concerned with 'beautiful lakes', it is the surrounding country that gives them most of their attraction. Virihaure is no exception. The mountain scenery around the lake is too beautiful to describe in words. |
| Educational interest | |
| Cultural heritage | The right of the Lapp population to hunt, fish and raise reindeer is enshrined in the law. Sarek and Padjelanta are used by saami people for the reindeer's summer grazing. However, Sarek's rugged nature is less suitable for reindeer grazing than Padjelanta plains. |
| Justification | |
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| Management plan | |
| URL official | http://www.internat.environ.se/index.php3?main=/documents/nature/engpark/eparkdoc/epadjel.htm |
| URL interesting | http://www.timberwolf.a.se/home/padje/padjelanta.html |
