Vigelsø is a small, uninhabited island in
Odense Fjord
Odense Fjord is a 13 km long fjord on the northern part of the Danish island of Funen.
It covers an area of about 63 km2.
Geography
The city of Odense is connected with the fjord through the Odense Canal. The Odense River ends in the ...
, off the coast of
Funen
Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
. With an area of , it is the largest island in the fjord and an important breeding ground for waterfowl and rest stop for
migratory bird
Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between Breeding in the wild, breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Animal migration, Migration carries high costs in predation a ...
s.
It is part of the
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...
''No. SPC 94, Odense Fjord'' under the
EU Habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
and
Birds Directive
The Birds Directive (formally known as Council Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds) is the oldest piece of EU legislation on the environment and one of its cornerstones which was unanimously adopted in April 1979 as the Dire ...
s.
History
Archeological findings have documented human activity on the island from the earliest times.
[ Originally the island was a 66-hectare ]glacial moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...
island separated from the smaller islands of Store and Lille Ægholm to the south by a shallow-watered area. In 1873 this area was reclaimed and the island's size was roughly doubled.
In 1990 the Danish Ministry for the Environment acquired the island to conduct ecological restoration
Restoration ecology is the scientific study supporting the practice of ecological restoration, which is the practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human interrupt ...
and reforestation
Reforestation (occasionally, reafforestation) is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands (forestation) that have been depleted, usually through deforestation, but also after clearcutting.
Management
A debate ...
.
Vigelsø today
Vigelsø is a low-lying island with its highest point, Østerhoved, only reaching six metres above the sea. There is a 25 hectares forest on the northern part of the island while the southern part consists of coastal meadow
Coastal meadows are Meadow, meadows in the coastal zone, influenced by the sea.
Under this definition, the salinity of the air and wind is usually high and the flora is dominated by salt-tolerant species. Some coastal meadows may be flooded by s ...
s.observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision to conduct long distance observations. Observation towers are usually at least tall and are made from stone, iron, an ...
and a hide. There is a primitive camp site on the island.
See also
* List of islands of Denmark
This is a list of islands of Denmark.
Overview
There are about 406 islands in Denmark, not including the Faroe Islands or Greenland. Some 70 of them are populated while the rest are uninhabited. Some of the uninhabited islands have only become u ...
References
External links
Vigelsø pamphlet
Uninhabited islands of Denmark
Geography of Odense
{{Denmark-island-stub