Hovsfjæra

Welcome to Hovsfjæra. Welcome to a world heritage site. This is one of Ørlands so called four RAMSAR areas. These are bird scanctuaries that are protected under the international treaty for the conservation of wetlands. This natural area is richest for birdlife during the spring and autumn migrations, but you can discover a rich diversity of species here year round. One of the world’s most endangered and at the same time richest habitats are wetlands. In fact, there is no other type of natural habitat where so much life can be found in such a small area. The richest type of wetland is the one that you see before you, namely long shallow mud flats where the farmland meets the fjord, sea, lake, or river. It can be taken as a rule of thumb that our most important food producing areas usually border important grazing, moulting, and breeding grounds for migratory birds. People and animals are attracted by the same rich nutrients. Nearly all the world’s most important wetland areas are under pressure from, development, draining, changes in agriculture and other interventions. Therefore, if we are to save the world’s species diversity from destruction, all remaining wetlands must be preserved, and natural biotopes restored. In 2021 the UN declared the start of a decade of salvage and repair of destroyed eco systems. This is a part of their vital work to save creation from climate and environmental collapse.