Kongernes Nordsjælland (Royal North Zealand) is a

national park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

in the northern region of the island of

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

. It opened in 2018.

Description

Kongernes Nordsjælland cover with the forest of

Gribskov Gribskov (Grib Forest) is Denmark's fourth largest forest, comprising c. 5,600 ha of woodland situated in northern Zealand, west and south of Lake Esrum. The forest is owned and administered by Directorate of State Forestry (Denmark), the State of ...

and the lake of

Esrum Sø Lake Esrum (, ) is the largest lake in Denmark by water volume and the second-largest lake by surface area, after lake Arresø. It is situated in the central part of North Zealand (the northeastern region of Zealand), straddling the boundaries of ...

at its core. Gribskov is one of Denmark's largest forests, with centuries old oak trees, rich fauna and flora, prehistoric sites and opportunities for hiking and cycling. Esrum Sø, the second largest lake in the country, is noted for its clean waters, its recreational facilities and the 12th-century monastery of

Esrum Abbey Esrum Abbey, also Esrom Abbey ( or ), was the second Cistercian monastery founded in Denmark, located near Hillerød in Region Hovedstaden, on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand (Sjælland), on the north side of the Esrum Sø (Lake Esrum) ...

at its northern end. The park also includes the lakes of

Arresø Arresø () is the largest lake, by area, in Denmark. It covers 40,72 km2 (15.39 sq mi) and is situated on the island of Zealand 43 kilometers (27 miles) northwest of Copenhagen as the crow flies. Arresø is located in the northern parts of ...

and Gurresø, the woodland of Tisvilde Hegn and will comprise a connected cultural and natural landscape of coast, heath, forest and rural areas. Arresø is the largest lake in Denmark by area and Tisvilde Hegn is the oldest plantation in the country. The designated area has a large concentration of historically significant relics spanning the

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

to present times. This includes

dolmen A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...

tumuli A tumulus (: tumuli) is a mound of Soil, earth and Rock (geology), stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, mounds, howes, or in Siberia and Central Asia as ''kurgans'', and may be found through ...

, medieval ruins, castles and royal palaces. Most of the park is designated as

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectiv ...

. Several species of deer can be seen throughout the area as well as

red fox The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia, plus ...

es and

badgers Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by their ...

. There is also a rich bird life in the woods with

buzzard Buzzard is the common name of several species of birds of prey. ''Buteo'' species * Archer's buzzard (''Buteo archeri'') * Augur buzzard (''Buteo augur'') * Broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'') * Common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') * Easte ...

black woodpecker The black woodpecker (''Dryocopus martius'') is a large woodpecker that lives in mature forests across the northern Palearctic. It is the sole representative of its genus in that region. Its range is expanding. The black woodpecker is easily the ...

osprey The osprey (; ''Pandion haliaetus''), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and a wingspan of . It ...

, owls, and white tailed eagles. The heathland attracts

greylag geese The greylag goose (''Anser anser'') is a species of large goose in the waterfowl family Anatidae and the type species of the genus '' Anser''. It has mottled and barred grey and white plumage and an orange beak and pink legs. A large bird, it m ...

and

northern lapwing The northern lapwing (''Vanellus vanellus''), also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tewit, green plover, or (in Ireland and Great Britain) pyewipe or just lapwing, is a bird in the lapwing subfamily. It is common through temperate Palearcti ...

s while

common kingfisher The common kingfisher (''Alcedo atthis''), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of ...

white-throated dipper The white-throated dipper (''Cinclus cinclus''), also known as the European dipper or just dipper, is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe, Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The species is divided into several subspecies ...

and

common goldeneye The common goldeneye or simply goldeneye (''Bucephala clangula'') is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus ''Goldeneye (duck), Bucephala'', the goldeneyes. Its closest relative is the similar Barrow's goldeneye. The genus name is derived from th ...

ducks can be seen around the lakes.

Approval

In November 2014, the national broadcasting corporation of

Danmarks Radio DR (), officially the Danish Broadcasting Corporation in English, is a Danish public-service radio and television broadcasting company. Founded in 1925 as a public-service organization, it is Denmark's oldest and largest electronic media enter ...

reported that Kim Valentin, mayor of

Gribskov Municipality Gribskov Municipality () is a municipality (Danish language, Danish, ''Commune (subnational entity), kommune'') in the Capital Region of Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 278 km2, and has a total population of 41,797. The municipali ...

, believed the national park would soon be approved by the Danish Ministry of the Environment. Minister of the Environment Kirsten Brosbøl was handed the proposal for the national park on 12. December 2014. Following the 18 June 2015 elections, Denmark had a new government and the Ministry of the Environment was merged with the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark (now Ministry of the Environment and Food). The new minister is

Eva Kjer Hansen Eva Kjer Hansen (born 26 August 1964 in Aabenraa) is a Danish former politician, who was a member of the Folketing for the Venstre political party. She held many ministerial positions, the last being as minister of Fisheries, Gender Equality and ...

. Official homepage

References

Sources

The Parforce Hunting landscape in North Zealand
UNESCO * Danmarks Nationalparker
Publications and maps
Proposals on the extent of Kongernes Nordsjælland. With maps and guides.

External links

* * Danmarks Nationalparker
Tourist in a Danish national park
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kongernes Nordsjaelland National parks of Denmark Capital Region of Denmark Protected areas established in 2018 2018 establishments in Denmark

Description

Approval

See also

References

Sources

External links