AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.2003, Qupperneq 58

Nature Preservation Policy
2004-2008
Sigurður Á. Þráinsson, Head of Department in the
Ministry for the Environment
lceland’s Law of Nature Preservation
stipulates that the Minister for the
Environment shall, at five-year inter-
vals, present a Nature Preservation
Policy to Parliament. The Minister will
present her first Nature Preservation
Policy this November. In this policy, it
is proposed that during the years
2004-2008, 14 new areas will be
preserved, totaling some 3,600 km2.
During the 1999 revision of the Law
of Nature Preservation, a new
foundation was laid for an improved
methodology in accordance with the
approach of some international
treaties regarding Nature
Preservation, such as the treaty on
biological diversity. The Bern-Treaty,
concerning the preservation of
species and their European habitats,
and the Wetland-Treaty, regarding
the preservation of wetlands, particu-
larly birdlife, were also taken into
account.
The methodology is based upon the
systematic analysis of several fac-
tors. Information about the nature of
the country, evaluation of the preser-
vation value of species and areas,
demarcation of areas most worthy of
preservation, and the creation of a
network of preservation areas to
ensure the preservation of biological
and geological diversity of the
aspects of the nature of the country
deemed to be in need of preserva-
tion are all taken into account.
The groundwork of the policy is
divided into three steps. First, the
lcelandic Institute of Natural History
of Information, utilising its databank
of birds and plants, performs a sys-
tematic analysis. A separate analysis
of lceland’s main geological remains
is also conducted, in cooperation
with the country’s Environment and
Food Agency.
The Institute then evaluates the
preservation value of species and
geological remains, and makes pro-
posals for conservation areas to
ensure necessary protection. The
Environment and Food Agency then
reviews the proposals of the Institute
of Natural History and other institutes
and local authorities regarding pro-
posed preservation areas in the
Nature Preservation Policy.
The agency made its proposals pub-
lic last spring and invited comments
before a final proposal of 75 areas
would be sent to the Ministry for the
Environment.
Final policy work took place in the
Ministry for the Environment. To
begin with, the Minister for the
Environment and Ministry employees
surveyed most of the areas and
spoke to landowners and local
authority representatives.
With the goal of preserving the habi-
tats of some bird species, diverse
plant habitats, several important geo-
logical remains and to enlarge the
National Parks, 14 areas were select-
ed for the Policy.
The main emphasis is on securing
necessary preservation of the four
lcelandic species that lay eggs in
lceland; the haförn (White-tailed
Eagle), flórgoði (Slavonian Grebe),
grágæs (Greylag Goose) and
heiðagæs (Pink-footed Goose),
two migratory birds, the margæs
(Goose) and rauðbrystingur (Red
Knot), in addition to most species of
sea-birds around lceland. It should
therefore come as no surprise that
seven of the 14 areas in the Policy
are bird preservation areas (see
table).
1. Tafla. Svæði á Náttúruverndaráætlun 2004-2008, stærð þeirra og eðli. Areas in the Nature Preservation Policy 2004-2008, size and nature.
Svæði/Area Stærð km; Tegund
Álftanes-Akrar-Löngufjörur 460 , Fuglasvæði/Bird area
Álftanes-Skerjafjörður 37 Fuglasvæði/Bird area
Austara-Eylendið 47 ; Fuglasvæði/Bird area
Guðlaugstungum-Álfgeirstungum 192 Fuglasvæði/Bird area
Látrabjarg-Rauðasand 486 Fuglasvæði/Bird area
Vestmannaeyja Fuglasvæði/Bird area
Öxarfjörð 220 ! Fuglasvæði/Bird area
Þjóðgarðurinn í Jökulsárgljúfrum 200 ; Þjóðgarður/National Park
- " " Þjóðgarðurinn í Skaftafelli 730 Þjóðgarður/National Park
Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður 8.000' Þjóðgarður/National Park
Látraströnd-Náttfaravík, 604 Plöntusvæði/Plant area
Njarðvík-Loðmundarfjörður 468 ; Plöntusvæði/Plant area
Vatnshornsskógur í Skorradalshreppi 2 ; Búsvæði/Habitat
Geysir í Haukadal 2,2 Jarðminjar/Geological remains
Reykjanes-Eldvörp-Hafnaberg 113 Jarðminjar/Geological remains
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