Indicator 2.7 - Extent of Wilderness
One of the issues that stakeholders were concerned with when the projects were planned, was that the extent of "untouched" wilderness in Iceland - one of the unique features of the country - would be reduced after the rivers had been dammed and Hálslón reservoir had been made.
Indicator 2.7 should monitor the extent of wilderness in the Kárahnjúkar project area, and the target is that no wilderness is lost after the construction period is finished (2007).
Information about performance for this indicator will be presented in the spring of 2013.
Performance
Not applicable until the spring of 2013.
Last updated in March 2012.
Metrics, Targets & Monitoring Protocol
Metrics: What is measured?
a. Loss of wilderness (km2) according to the definition in Icelandic law for nature conservation. (Project effect: indirect).
Targets
a. Area of wilderness will not decrease after construction period (in 2007).
Monitoring Protocol
a. New wilderness map will be created after 2007 and then repeated as needed if further changes. Information will be gathered as often as needed.
Rationale for Indicator Selection
The landscape and visual impact of the Karahnjukar power project was an issue discussed in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This included the loss of wilderness in the highlands, an issue often cited in public discussion about the Kárahnjúkar dam.
Finding an appropriate definition for wilderness is not simple because human settlement has impacted most parts of the highlands in some way. Roads, bridges, and trails provide access to the highlands for motor vehicles and those vehicles influence wilderness areas so they can not be viewed as untouched. Several tourist huts and farmers searching for sheep also impact the land. Finally, one could argue that none of the highlands can be categorized as wilderness because of the changes in vegetation and soil erosion caused by overgrazing.
The Karahnjukar EIA used a definition of Wilderness developed by a working group of the Ministry for the Environment, but this working group was created after a decision in the parliament on May 12th, 1997, about the protection of wilderness areas. The working group definition found its way into new laws on nature conservation that were passed in 1999. Wilderness is defined as:
An area of land, at least 25 km2 or large enough so that solitude and nature can be enjoyed without disturbance from human structures or traffic from motor vehicles driving on land. The area should be at least 5 km away from human structures or other technical signs such as transmission lines, power plants, reservoirs and roads. There should be no direct human influence and nature should be allowed to develop without pressure from human activities.
Once the Karahnjukar power station will be operational, further loss of wilderness will mainly depend on changes in travel routes and tourism since no changes are foreseen on facilities related to the power plant.
Baseline
The map below shows the results from a working group of the Ministry for the Environment about which areas close to Vatnajokull glacier should be defined as wilderness areas. The green areas represent wilderness areas. Travel routes and huts are located in the area north of the glacier and this decreases the area north of the glacier that is defined as wilderness. Obviously, some subjective estimation must take place to decide which travel routes can be accepted within wilderness areas and which can not. The route to Snaefells hut and to Sigurdar hut in Kverfjoll mountains are labeled as non-wilderness which leaves the mountain Snaefell and surrounding area outside the definition wilderness areas. According to this map, Vatnajokull glacier and surrounding wilderness areas are 14,500 km2.
Green = Untouched wilderness before harnessing
Violet = Loss of untouched wilderness because of the Kárahnjúkar project
Red = Loss of untouched wilderness because of increased traffic
The bottom picture shows loss of wilderness because of the Karahnjukar power station. Part of the loss is because of Halslon Reservoir, around 460 km2, but the rest is because of the Jokula river diversion and facilities that will be built at Muli and Hraun, a total area of 275 km2. Total loss of wilderness because of the power plant is 735 km2.
Traffic on the Bruardal route has increased during the summers after construction work began and it became possible to drive a circle from Fljotsdalur and Jokuldalur, over the highlands and across a bridge to Karahnjukar. This road improvement and increased traffic adds an extra 90 km2 to the total loss of wilderness in the area.
