The Environment Agency of Iceland, along with landowners and the Borgarbyggð municipality has introduced plans to make Borgarvogur, a narrow inlet by Borgarnes in West Iceland, a nature reserve.
Borgarvogur is one of West Iceland’s most important birdlife areas. The inlet and the surrounding wetlands and mudflats are essential for the surrounding area due to its plant and animal life. Over 20 bird species are found in the surrounding wetlands, mudflats, and bayland.
Borgarvogur consists of a wide expanse of mudflats, categorized as yellow algae mudflats, and is the largest known such area in Iceland. Yellow algae mudflats contain high densities of algae and other small living organisms but mudflats are also helpful in containing greenhouse gasses. The area’s research and educational value is high and the area is ideal for birdwatching.
By conserving the area, the Environmental Agency is looking to permanently protect the natural state of Borgarvogur and the biological diversity of the area so that it can develop naturally of its own accord. Also to ensure research and monitoring of the areas biosphere and so that the public can use the area to study nature. The suggested conservation area limits are shown on the map below.
The Environmental Agency’s notification is the first step in the conservation process and after the introductory period, representatives from the Environmental Agency, landowners, municipality and Ministry for the Environment and natural resources will draft conservation terms and present to parties of interest. the conservation will then be advertised and the public will be able to comment on the proposal.
