Hardangervidda, Norway

Site Details
Assessment Details

Site Overview


KBA status: confirmed

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Global KBA criteria:
Year of assessment: 2014
National site name: Hardangervidda
Central coordinates: Lat: 60.20 Long: 7.62
System: Terrestrial, Freshwater
Altitude (m): 1,000 to 1,500
Area of KBA (ha): 389,914
Protected area coverage (%): 96

Text account


Year of compilation: 2000
Site description:

The largest boreal montane plateau in Europe, dominated by undulating terrain with several large lakes. This is a major sheep-grazing area, and there is also tourism and hunting (of reindeer Rangifer tarandus and grouse Lagopus).

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA:

Grazing sheep may have affected the vegetation, and thus altered the habitat requirements of many animals in this very fragile ecosystem. Increasing tourism is a potential problem. Studies in boreal montane ecology (including birds) have been carried out by several research institutions, especially the Universities of Bergen and Oslo and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.

Habitats


IUCN Habitat Coverage level Coverage % Habitat detail
3. Shrubland -
4. Grassland -
5. Wetlands (inland) -
6. Rocky Areas (e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) -

Recommended citation


Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (2024) Key Biodiversity Areas factsheet: Hardangervidda. Extracted from the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. Developed by the Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership: BirdLife International, IUCN, American Bird Conservancy, Amphibian Survival Alliance, Conservation International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Global Environment Facility, Re:wild, NatureServe, Rainforest Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, World Wildlife Fund and Wildlife Conservation Society. Downloaded from https://keybiodiversityareas.org/ on 28/03/2024.