Natural Beauty
The High Coast derives its scenic attractiveness from its uncommonly (in the Baltic) hilly terrain and from the closely interrelated landscapes and seascapes of islands, bays, shores, lakes, slopes and plateau summits. The site also demonstrates forested tracts interspersed with sheltered valleys harbouring picturesque fishing and tourist villages and small towns surrounded by neatly tended pastures and cropland. The whole creates a landscape of great scenic value and aesthetic appeal. However, the area derives much of its aesthetic value from the interaction of its natural and cultural heritage rather than its natural values. Many of the aesthetic attributes are also typical of coastal regions in Sweden and the Baltic generally.
(Font: UNESCO - World Heritage Nomination - The High Coast (Sweden) - Addendum to 1999 IUCN Technical Evaluation)
The High Coast World Heritage has an area of 1.425km2, including 800km2 (56%) marine.
This area includes:
Skuleskogen National Park (1984) and Nordingrå Nature Conservation Area (1983) that are classified Category V - Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation - and defined as "Area of land, with coast and sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity. Safeguarding the integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the protection, maintenance and evolution of such an area."
and several Nature reserves:
Södra Ulvön (1971), Balesudden (1985) (on Google Earth), Högbonden (1987) (on Google Earth), Trysunda (1987) (on Google Earth), Omneberget (1992) and Ögeltjärn (1994) are Strict Nature Reserve (Category Ia - IUCN): protected area managed mainly for science and defined as "area of land and/or sea possessing some outstanding or representative ecosystems, geological or physiological features and/or species, available primarily for scientific research and/or environmental monitoring".
Norrfällsviken (1969), Gnäggen (1970) (on Google Earth), Mjältön (1974) (on Google Earth) and Skuleberget (1974) are Natural Monument (Category III - IUCN): protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural features and defined as "area containing one, or more, specific natural or natural/cultural feature which is of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative or aesthetic qualities or cultural significance".
Storön (1970), Halsviksravinen (1974), Rotsidan (1974), Villmyran (1974) (on Google Earth) and Skuleskogen (1990) (on Google Earth) are Habitat/Species Management Area (Category IV - IUCN): protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention and defined as "Area of land and/or sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as to ensure the maintenance of habitats and/or to meet the requirements of specific species".
Storsand (1969), Herrestaberget (1971), Storholmen (1975).
In addition to these sites, the High Coast also includes eight Bird sanctuaries (designated in 1976), eleven Landscape Protection Areas (established between 1968 and 1983).
Furthermore, the County of Västernorrland has designated 121 sites within the Natura 2000 project.
Here you can find the European Commission's website on the Natura 2000 network: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/home.htm
They are areas of the High Coast both inland and on the shore: the complete list can be found at http://w3.vic-metria.nu/n2k/jsp/search.do. Here you can see the location on Google Earth of three of them: Ravin på Ronön, Stormyran på Ulvön and Djupvikberget.
Conservation Management
Management is a complex issue in the High Coast area. There are management plans for all of the Nature Reserves and the National Park, but protected areas constitute only 18% of the area (Dingwall, 2000). The remaining land is largely under private ownership, but further regulations may still apply. State ownership accounts for some 5,000ha, including most of the nature reserves and bird sanctuaries and the entire land area of the Skuleskogen National Park. The site falls within the jurisdiction of two municipalities: Örnsköldsvik and Kramfors, both of which adopted development plans in 1990. The site falls within the Västernorrland County which develops policies such as for logging. For some time a management plan for the area has been worked on, prescribing policies for its long-term development. It focuses on the management of its special assets: the geological and biological phenomena related to land uplift, the marine environment and the natural beauty of the landscape. A management committee was formed for the High coast area, with representatives from the County Administrative board, the municipalities of Örnsköldsvik and Kramfors, as well as the County Forest Board. Combined with new and more powerful environmental legislation enacted in Sweden in 1999, greater protection for the site should be achievable. (Font: UNEP-WCMC)