Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella
Encyclopedia
Blåfjella–Skjækerfjella National Park lies in Nord-Trøndelag
county, Norway
. It is the third largest national park on the Norwegian mainland and one of the largest remaining true wilderness areas. It is located in the municipalities of Verdal
, Snåsa
, Grong
, Lierne
, and Steinkjer
. The terrain is characterized by mountain plains, lakes, forested valleys, marshes, and a few mountain peaks (Midtliklumpen reaches 1333 metres (4,373.4 ft) above sea level). The Sami people
have lived in and used the area for several centuries. There are many Sami cultural monuments here, such as settlements, gathering places, burial sites, and sacred places.
The park offers good opportunities for hunting
, fishing
, and other outdoor recreation. The terrain is suitable for shooting
ptarmigan
and other small game, and there are a number of lakes with brown trout
and char
. There are many
paths to hike, some of which are marked, although not in the winter. There are also a few mountain cabins available for overnight stays.
Gressåmoen National Park
, which was created in 1970 and had an area of 182 square kilometres (70.3 sq mi), was incorporated into Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella national park in 2004. Lierne National Park
is located just east of Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella National Park.
was first introduced (migrated) to Norway. There is a large variation of nature types, including areas of undisturbed old-growth forest in the valleys. The flora
includes both coastal species as well as more typical inland species, and alpine plant
s. The geology includes both soft bedrock
good for plant growth as well as areas with very hard bedrock with much poorer plant life.
A total of 28 species of mammal
s and many species of birds have been observed in the park. The rare arctic fox
and all the large predators in mainland Norway have been found here. This includes brown bear
, lynx
, wolverine
s, and the gray wolf
, although the wolf is only rarely seen. There are also three species of deer
present: moose
, roe deer
, and red deer
. Four nature reserves are located adjacent to the park: Arvasslia Nature Reserve, Berglimyra and Klumplifjellet Nature Reserve, Gaundalsmyra Nature Reserve, and Storfloa Nature Reserve.
" or "mountain
"). The first element in Skjækerfjella is the plural skjæker which means "shafts (of a wagon)" - here referring to long mountain ridges.
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is the third largest national park on the Norwegian mainland and one of the largest remaining true wilderness areas. It is located in the municipalities of Verdal
Verdal
Verdal is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Verdalsøra...
, Snåsa
Snåsa
Snåsa is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Snåsa. Other villages include Agle and Jørstad....
, Grong
Grong
is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Medjå. Other villages in the municipality include Bergsmoen, Formofoss, Gartland, and Harran....
, Lierne
Lierne
Lierne is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region, and it is the largest municipality in Trøndelag. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sandvika. Other villages include Inderdal, Sørli, and Tunnsjø senter...
, and Steinkjer
Steinkjer
is a town and a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Steinkjer, which is also the seat of the county government...
. The terrain is characterized by mountain plains, lakes, forested valleys, marshes, and a few mountain peaks (Midtliklumpen reaches 1333 metres (4,373.4 ft) above sea level). The Sami people
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
have lived in and used the area for several centuries. There are many Sami cultural monuments here, such as settlements, gathering places, burial sites, and sacred places.
The park offers good opportunities for hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and other outdoor recreation. The terrain is suitable for shooting
ptarmigan
Ptarmigan
The Rock Ptarmigan is a medium-sized gamebird in the grouse family. It is known simply as Ptarmigan in Europe and colloquially as Snow Chicken or Partridge in North America, where it is the official bird for the territory of Nunavut, Canada, and the official game bird for the province of...
and other small game, and there are a number of lakes with brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and char
Arctic char
Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic...
. There are many
paths to hike, some of which are marked, although not in the winter. There are also a few mountain cabins available for overnight stays.
Gressåmoen National Park
Gressåmoen National Park
Gressåmoen National Park is a former national park which lay in Snåsa municipality, Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was incorporated into Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella national park in 2004. Gressåmoen National Park was created in 1970 and had an area of 182 km²....
, which was created in 1970 and had an area of 182 square kilometres (70.3 sq mi), was incorporated into Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella national park in 2004. Lierne National Park
Lierne National Park
Lierne National Park lies in the municipality of Lierne in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The park was established on 17 December 2004 by a royal resolution. The park covers of land along the border with Sweden....
is located just east of Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella National Park.
Flora and fauna
The park is known as the place where spruceSpruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
was first introduced (migrated) to Norway. There is a large variation of nature types, including areas of undisturbed old-growth forest in the valleys. The flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
includes both coastal species as well as more typical inland species, and alpine plant
Alpine plant
Alpine plants are plants that grow in the alpine climate, which occurs at high elevation and above the tree line. Alpine plants grow together as a plant community in alpine tundra.-Alpine plant diversity:...
s. The geology includes both soft bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
good for plant growth as well as areas with very hard bedrock with much poorer plant life.
A total of 28 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s and many species of birds have been observed in the park. The rare arctic fox
Arctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
and all the large predators in mainland Norway have been found here. This includes brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
s, and the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, although the wolf is only rarely seen. There are also three species of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
present: moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, and red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
. Four nature reserves are located adjacent to the park: Arvasslia Nature Reserve, Berglimyra and Klumplifjellet Nature Reserve, Gaundalsmyra Nature Reserve, and Storfloa Nature Reserve.
Name
The park was named Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella in 2004 when it was established. Blåfjella means "the blue mountains" (-fjella is the finite plural of fjell which means "fellFell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
" or "mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
"). The first element in Skjækerfjella is the plural skjæker which means "shafts (of a wagon)" - here referring to long mountain ridges.