Østensjøvannet
Encyclopedia
Østensjøvannet is a lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

, capital of 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 well-known for the wide variety of birds and other wildlife that can be found there. It is surrounded by the Østensjø
Østensjø
Østensjø is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The borough is in the southeastern part of Oslo. It is well known for its proximity to the forested area of Østmarka, a popular resort and hiking area for the citizens of Oslo and Lørenskog. Østensjø consists of the suburbs of Bøler, Oppsal and...

 borough. It is currently a wildlife preserve, though urban development posed a serious threat to the lake and its environs during the 1980s and early 1990s.

The name

Østensjøvannet ("Østensjø lake") takes its name from Østensjø farm, situated on the lake's east side. The name of the farm is in turn related to the lake, "Østensjø" literally meaning "east of the lake". So in effect, the name means "The east-of-the-lake lake".

Wildlife

Østensjøvannet is well known for its birdlife, and over 200 different species of birds have been sighted at or near the lake, quite a significant number by Norwegian standards.

Other wildlife is regularly sighted at the lake, but the variety of species is not much different from surrounding places, such as Østmarka
Østmarka
Østmarka is a forested area to the east of Oslo and part of the congregation of woodland areas known as Oslomarka. The area is situated within the municipalities Oslo, Lørenskog, Rælingen, Ski and Enebakk...

.

Fishing during the summer is forbidden, while ice-fishing is allowed.

Cultural history

Finds in the area suggest that people may have been living in the area as far back as the stone age. Farming in the area started around 500 AD. At various locations surrounding the lake, there are burial mounds from the Viking Age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...

.

Abildsø Farm, located on the lake's west side, was Norway's second farm school, and is where Minna Wetlesen started Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

's, and possibly the world's first "household"-school where girls and young women could learn about running a household and performing the various tasks related to it.

Environmental issues

Situated inside the Oslo city limits, surrounded on all sides by built-up areas, has put a considerable strain on the lake, both in terms of pollution (especially caused by leaks from less-than-perfectly maintained sewage systems) and plans for using the fields and forested areas surrounding the lake for various purposes, including housing, a cemetery and even a small golf course.

The lake itself has been a wildlife preserve since 1992, while Abildsø Farm was preserved by the Norwegian Riksantikvar in 1997. June 11, 2002, the Oslo city council passed plans for the "Østensjøvannet Environmental Park", which in effect preserves the various habitats and "green areas" surrounding the lake.

The sewage systems affecting the lake have been better maintained in recent years, and the environmental state of the lake is currently much better than it was a decade or two ago.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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