Slevdalsvannet is a restored wetland nature reserve about two kilometres north of Lista lighthouse. It has one of the more remarkable conservation stories in Norway.
The lake once covered more than 20 hectares of open water. Through the 1800s and 1900s, repeated attempts were made to drain it for farmland. By the time the area was finally protected as a nature reserve in 2005, the water surface had shrunk from 20 hectares to almost nothing. What was left was an overgrown swamp.
In 2013, the Norwegian Environment Agency ranked Slevdalsvannet as their number one priority among 300 wetland areas in Norway needing restoration. They spent 3.3 million kroner to bring the water back, using a 15-metre dredging vessel to cut through thick layers of organic material, roots and mud. Three dams and connecting channels were built. The restored reserve was officially opened in August 2015.
The results were dramatic. The lapwing, absent for seven years, returned in the first season. Over 230 bird species have been recorded here. In summer, 20 to 30 Highland cattle graze the reserve to keep the habitat open for ground-nesting birds.
Two observation towers are connected by gravel paths and boardwalks from a parking area at Villaveien on Borhaug, about 500 metres away. One tower sits on top of an old World War II bunker from Lista air station. The area is particularly good for nighttime birdwatching excursions.
The lake once covered more than 20 hectares of open water. Through the 1800s and 1900s, repeated attempts were made to drain it for farmland. By the time the area was finally protected as a nature reserve in 2005, the water surface had shrunk from 20 hectares to almost nothing. What was left was an overgrown swamp.
In 2013, the Norwegian Environment Agency ranked Slevdalsvannet as their number one priority among 300 wetland areas in Norway needing restoration. They spent 3.3 million kroner to bring the water back, using a 15-metre dredging vessel to cut through thick layers of organic material, roots and mud. Three dams and connecting channels were built. The restored reserve was officially opened in August 2015.
The results were dramatic. The lapwing, absent for seven years, returned in the first season. Over 230 bird species have been recorded here. In summer, 20 to 30 Highland cattle graze the reserve to keep the habitat open for ground-nesting birds.
Two observation towers are connected by gravel paths and boardwalks from a parking area at Villaveien on Borhaug, about 500 metres away. One tower sits on top of an old World War II bunker from Lista air station. The area is particularly good for nighttime birdwatching excursions.
