Fokstumyra: Norway's First Nature Reserve

In 1923, Fokstumyra became Norway's very first nature reserve, a direct response to the damage the Dovre railway line had caused to what had been an almost untouched upland wetland. The reserve covers 8 square kilometres of marshland at the foot of Dovrefjell, and around 170 bird species have been recorded here, including cranes, northern harriers, short-eared owls, and ruffs. A 7-kilometre boardwalk leads through the reserve past a birdwatching tower. Access is restricted from May to August during the breeding season. The area became a Ramsar wetland site in 2002, confirming what the Norwegians recognised a century ago: some places are worth protecting before anyone thinks to exploit them.