Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park (Norwegian: Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella nasjonalpark) is a national park in Norway. It was created in 2002 to replace and expand the earlier Dovrefjell National Park, which was established in 1974. The park covers an area of 1,693 square kilometers (654 square miles) and includes land in three Norwegian counties: Innlandet, Trøndelag, and Møre og Romsdal. It includes large parts of the Dovrefjell mountain range and the Sunndalsfjella mountains. In 2002, eight landscape protected areas and two biotope protected areas were also created near the park. These areas, along with the national park, form a total protected region of 4,366 square kilometers (1,686 square miles). The park is located in Dovre Municipality and Lesja Municipality (in Innlandet county), Oppdal Municipality (in Trøndelag county), and Sunndal Municipality and Molde Municipality (in Møre og Romsdal county).
Ecology
The National Park was created to protect an untouched alpine ecosystem and its native wild reindeer. In Rondane National Park, visitors can see wild Fennoscandian reindeer, which may have origins from Beringia (other wild reindeer in Norway are of European origin and have mixed with domesticated reindeer). The park is also home to wolverines, golden eagles, gyrfalcons, and musk oxen, which were brought to the area in 1947. Arctic foxes were common 100 years ago but decreased over time and disappeared from the area around 1990. A reintroduction program started in 2010 has been successful so far.
Some plants in the park existed before the last ice age. Many plants found only in this area grow there.
Although the environment is challenging, the mountains offer great hiking in summer and skiing in winter. The highest mountain in the park is Snøhetta, which is 2,286 meters (7,500 feet) tall. Because of long distances between huts, few trails, and difficult weather, the park is best for experienced and well-prepared visitors.
A unique natural feature in Norway is a 156-meter (512-foot) tall waterfall in Åmotan. It is located along Road 70 between Oppdal and Sunndalsøra, near the northern edge of the Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park.
Administration
The park is divided into a large western section and a smaller eastern section by the European route E6, which runs next to the main railway between Oslo and Trondheim. The protected area covers 4,365 square kilometers (1,685 square miles) and includes parts of the county of Innlandet in addition to three areas within the National Park.
The park, along with five nearby landscape protection areas and two biotope-protected areas, is managed by the National Park Board of Dovrefjell. This is a government organization whose members come from the same eight municipalities and four counties as the former Dovrefjell Council. These members are chosen by the municipalities and counties and officially appointed by the Ministry for the Environment. Many of the members are local mayors, similar to those in the Dovrefjell Council, and the park is still considered to be managed locally.
The previous management system, used from July 2003, was a test meant to last until July 2007. A final decision on the long-term management plan was made in August 2010, and the new board was officially created on January 4, 2011. The Dovrefjell Council was shut down in 2011, and its website was also closed.
From 2007 to 2011, the Dovrefjell Council managed the National Park and helped oversee the management of other protected areas. The council included representatives from eight municipalities and four counties, usually mayors who were elected by members. While the National Park was managed by the council, other conservation areas were handled by individual municipalities or groups of municipalities. The council’s role in planning and developing the region, especially through the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism by the EUROPARC Federation, is now handled by the new board.