Sassen-Bünsow Land National Park, Norway

Sassen-Bünsow Land National Park

is located on the island of Spitsbergen in the remote Svalbard archipelago, halfway between the coast of Norway and the North Pole. At 1,231 km2 in size, the park stretches in elevation from sea level to its highest peak, Kvitserken, at 1,125 m. The landscape is roughly split in half by a large, glacially carved fjord known as Tempelfjorden. Tundra-fi lled mountainous regions lie directly to the north and south of this central feature. At the east edge of the protected area lie several glaciers which converge in Tempelfjorden and are fed by a larger icefi eld outside the park boundary. The southernmost region includes one of Svalbard’s largest valleys, Sassendalen. Much of the western border follows the shoreline of surrounding fjords which fl ow to the Arctic Ocean. Sassen-Bünsow Land National Park combines extensive shoreline, mountains, valleys, glaciers, and glacial fjords into an extraordinary geographically and biotically diverse protected area. Established in 2003, Sassen-Bünsow Land is one of seven national parks in Svalbard. The Department for Environment Protection under the Governor of Svalbard manages all protected lands within the archipelago. Considering its remote location and harsh environment, human history preceding the Park’s creation is understandably limited. It is so remote that there are no people indigenous to the region or the rest of Svalbard. There are very few human structures within the park along with several scattered locations of historic mining claims and activity. The primary cultural landmark within Sassen-Bünsow Land is a hunting station which lies on the shore of Templefjorden near the center of the park. The station, named Villa Fredheim, was constructed in 1925 by Hilmar Nøis, otherwise known as “The King of Sassen.” Nøis endured thirty-eight harsh and solitary arctic winters there. There is no established infrastructure within the park, so it’s relatively few visitors explore on foot, by boat, helicopter, plane, or snowmobile. The benefi t of no infrastructure and low visitation is that this protected area remains just that: protected. Sassen-Bünsow Land National Park remains a pristine location for the study of natural processes and conservation of sensitive biota. Notable large mammals within the area include polar bears and Svalbard reindeer. Svalbard reindeer are a subspecies of reindeer (smaller than mainland subspecies) endemic to Svalbard. Although nearly hunted to extinction in 1925, their population has since rebounded and is carefully managed by the Governor of Svalbard. Coastlines and inland regions both serve as important habitats for other fl ora and fauna such as several vulnerable plant species, geese, wading birds, and seals. Geologic and climate features have also captured the attention of scientists. Locations within Sassen-Bünsow Land contain Quaternary geological elements formed in the youngest geological period of Earth’s history (last 2.6 million years). Snow conditions and ice formation in the park’s fjords are also of interest to climate scientists examining changing conditions in polar regions. Frequent research is conducted within the park on many of these topics, often by the Norwegian Polar Institute or the University Centre in Svalbard. Sassen-Bünsow Land National Park has valuable and endemic geology, biota, and geography and is important in conserving a continuous and intact arctic fjord and valley landscape. Due to its relatively pristine state, it is considered a “reference area” for natural research. The Park encompasses a unique landscape and, in combination with the total 65% of protected land within the Svalbard archipelago, supplements conservation of the entire polar region.