Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One remaining stand of old-growth Norwegian forest that has caught the attention of en-
vironmentalists is Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell, about 100km west of Oslo and covering 205 sq
km. Declared a nature reserve in 2002, it shelters the endangered species such as the lesser
spotted woodpecker, tree-toed woodpecker, Siberian jay and golden eagle, as well as
threatened plant life.
Although no forestry operation can be entirely environmentally sound, Norway cur-
rently has one of the world's most sustainable forestry industries and much of the visible
damage to the forests is due to agricultural clearing and timber overexploitation between
the 17th and 20th centuries.
Glaciers & Climate Change - A Meteorologist's View
by J Oerlemans can be a tad heavy-
going, but it does tell you everything you need to know about why glaciers have become a
cause célèbre for environmentalists across the world.
Wilderness Areas
Norway may have one of the lowest population densities in Europe, but due to its settle-
ment pattern - which is unique in Europe, and favours scattered farms over villages - even
the most remote areas are inhabited and a large proportion of the population is rural-based.
As a result, the natural world has been greatly altered by human activities and the land-
scape is criss-crossed by roads that connect remote homes, farmsteads and logging areas to
more populated areas. All but a couple of the country's major rivers have been dammed for
hydroelectric power and even the wild-looking expanses of Finnmarksvidda and the huge
peninsulas that jut into the Arctic Ocean serve as vast reindeer pastures. As a result, apart
from the upland icefields and Norway's impressive network of national parks, real wilder-
ness is limited to a few forested mountain areas along the Swedish border, scattered parts
of Hardangervidda and most of Svalbard.
The Arctic: An Anthology
, edited by Elizabeth Kolbert, brings together some of the most
inspiring historical writings about the Arctic, with an emphasis on the exploration of Nor-
wegian and other wilderness areas.
