Lauwersmeer National Park
{{Short description|Protected area in the Netherlands}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Lauwersmeer National Park
| alt_name = Nationaal Park Lauwersmeer
| iucn_category = II
| photo = Lauwersmar kollumerwaard de baak.jpg
| photo_alt = Kollumerwaard
| photo_caption = De Baak lookout in April 2008
| photo_width = 230
| map_image = NP-LauwersmeerKaart.jpg
| map_alt = Map of the National Park
| map_caption = Map of the National Park
| map_width = 260
| location = Friesland/Groningen, Netherlands
| nearest_city =
| coords = {{coord|53.364|N|6.200|E|region:NL_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|60|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| established = 2003
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = Staatsbosbeheer
| url = {{URL|www.np-lauwersmeer.nl}}
| embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_offname = Lauwersmeer
| designation1_date = 29 August 2000
| designation1_number = 1247{{Cite web|title=Lauwersmeer|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1247|accessdate=25 April 2018}}}}
}}
Lauwersmeer National Park ({{langx|nl|Nationaal Park Lauwersmeer}}) is a national park in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen in the Netherlands. It consists of the southern and eastern parts of the Lauwersmeer (previously Lauwerszee). As part of the Dutch Wadden Sea Conservation Area, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding biodiversity and its large, relatively pristine intertidal ecosystem.{{cite web |url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1314 |title = Wadden Sea |website = UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher = United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization |access-date = 20 Jun 2021}}
Geography
In the north of the Netherlands, the Lauwers river forms part of the east-west border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. The Lauwers flows from south to north into the Wadden Sea. The Lauwersmeer is its estuary, which is connected to the sea via a sluice at Lauwersoog. The national park consists of most of the Lauwersmeer and is situated in the Frisian municipalities of Dongeradeel and Kollumerland c.a. in Friesland and the Groningen municipality of De Marne.{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.provinciegroningen.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Documenten/Downloads/Uitvoeringsprogramma_Lauwersmeer_op_Koers__januari_2014-def-sfs.pdf Lauwersmeer op koers!], Province of Groningen, 2014. Retrieved on 6 February 2015.
History
On 25 May 1969, the Lauwers Sea was enclosed and separated from the Wadden Sea,{{cite news |title=De kleppen zijn dicht, de Lauwerszee is gesloten|url=http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19690527&id=LC-19690527-11015&words=+%28+lauwerszee%29%20lauwerszee|newspaper=Leeuwarder Courant|date=27 May 1969|accessdate=28 September 2009}}{{cite news |title=Lauwerszee R.I.P.|url=http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=19690527&id=LC-19690527-1009|newspaper=Leeuwarder Courant|date=27 May 1969|accessdate=28 September 2009}} since then it has been called Lauwersmeer.
The Lauwersmeer gradually became a freshwater lake and new flora and fauna appeared. To protect this new and young nature area, the Lauwersmeer became a national park on 12 November 2003.{{cite news |title=Valk Helpt Minister Veerman in Lauwersmeer|url=http://www.archiefleeuwardercourant.nl/site/article.do?code=LC&date=20031113&id=LC-20031113-1006|newspaper=Leeuwarder Courant|date=13 November 2003|accessdate=28 September 2009}}
Fauna and flora
{{unreferenced-section|date=March 2022}}
Among the flora are the purple Dactylorhiza maculata and the white Parnassia.
Among the birds living in the area are the Eurasian Spoonbill, the Montagu's Harrier, the Bearded Reedling, and the Bluethroat. For the winter, hundred thousands of birds migrate to the area, like the Eurasian Wigeon, the Tundra Swan, and the Barnacle Goose.
To keep the landscape open, big grazers are used like the Konik horses and Highland cattle, besides normal horses and cows.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Nationaal Park Lauwersmeer}}
- [http://www.np-lauwersmeer.nl/documents/home.xml?lang=en Official website]
- [https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/parks/lauwersmeer/ An entry] by the International Dark-Sky Association
{{National parks of the Netherlands}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Protected areas established in 2003
Category:2003 establishments in the Netherlands
Category:National parks of the Netherlands
Category:Ramsar sites in the Netherlands
Category:Geography of Friesland
Category:Geography of Groningen (province)
Category:Tourist attractions in Friesland
Category:Tourist attractions in Groningen (province)
{{Friesland-geo-stub}}
{{Groningen-geo-stub}}