Biodiversity - Protecting our Natural Heritage

Two examples serve to illustrate the work span of Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature/Friends of the Earth Norway in this field: the polar fox and the Lundevågen campaigns.

The polar fox

As the ice cap withdrew from Norway 15,000 - 10,000 years ago, the reindeer was the first big mammal to occupy the country. The polar fox - or the "mountain fox" as the Norwegians prefer to call their variety - followed in the footsteps of the reindeer. This charming, friendly and furry primeval inhabitant of our alpine regions constitutes an integrated part of our nation's natural heritage. Sadly, today the polar fox is on the point of extinction.

Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature/Friends of the Earth Norway has adopted the polar fox as a symbol for the overall fight to save the environment. What is happening to the polar fox can obviously happen to other species and ultimately, indeed, to man. In 1996-97 we launched a campaign "Save the polar fox" scheduled to last until the turn of the century.

The aim of the campaign is three-fold:

• To build strong public opinion in favour of the polar fox.
• To unite the authorities, scientists, environmental NGOs and trade and industry in a common effort to secure the survival of the polar fox.
• To increase the public's knowledge and understanding of environmental challenges in general and people's will to take responsibility and to solve the problems.

In a wider perspective, it is our hope that research results and scientific data will provide adequate background for concrete action to restore the polar fox population. But there is still a long way to go. In the meantime, the fact that nobody is really sure why the polar fox is not reproducing satisfactorily and that its numbers are declining underlines the drama of the situation. This does not mean that there are no theories and qualified opinions. These can be summarized as follows:

• Hunting. Extensive hunting was rapidly reducing the stock of polar fox at the beginning of the century. Finally, in 1930 a hunting ban was introduced. But the protected status alone has not been enough to restore the stock.
• The wilderness is disappearing. In 1900 48 % of the land could be classified as wilderness. In 1994 only 12 % remained. For southern Norway the situation is even worse. Today only 5 % of the land is located more than 5 kilometres from the nearest road, mine, alpine resort, hydroelectric power station or dam. This also means that the remaining stock of polar fox is split up in smaller populations with increased threat of inbreeding.
• Lack of prey. Reindeer hunting is regulated by man. There are almost no sick or dead animals left for the fox. The wolf and the bear - the big predators - have disappeared from most of the polar fox areas, and the wolverine is scarce. The carcases that these animals used to leave for the polar fox are simply no longer to be found. Lemmings, another indispensable part of the polar fox diet, are also getting fewer in number. Some scientists are exploring potential connections between the lemming decline and overgrazing by sheep in the mountains.
• Pollution. Despite its location in the northern outskirts of Europe, Norway is exposed to pollution by wind and ocean currents from far away. This is in addition to local pollution. Some of the alpine regions were severely hit by radiation after the Chernobyl disaster and are still suffering from this. Toxic components of pesticides and insecticides used in as remote areas as the tropical region seem to be transported up north by currents in the atmosphere. In addition, studies of reindeers in central Norway reveal considerable concentrations of cadmium, zink, lead, copper, mercury, aluminium, mangan, chromium, arsenic and cobalt in their internal organs. Some of these substances have been traced in polar fox fur, but because there are so few individuals left, it is difficult to make reliable measurements of internal organs.
• The red fox is taking over polar fox earths and could be spreading diseases like scab.
• Climate change. The polar fox is a typical polar and alpine species. It does not live further south, and even a small rise in average temperature could affect its chances of survival in Norway.

Bird sanctuary under threat

On the southern tip of Norway is the bay of Lundevågen. The inner part of Lundevågen is protected as a bird sanctuary. Lundevågen is part of a unique wetland area famous for hosting several bird species that are rare both on national and international levels. A proposal has been made to include the sanctuary under the Ramsar convention.

The industrial enterprise Bredero Price and the borough of Farsund wanted to fill in part of the bay to increase the land area of the company, which claimed it needed the space to store units for the pipeline which Statoil, the Norwegian state oil company, is building to Germany and the Netherlands. Bredero Price also wanted to construct a bridge across the bay.

Friends of the Earth Norway and Nature & Youth intervened. Local meetings were arranged, and an appeal for support was directed to environmental organizations in the Netherlands and Germany. Members of these organizations reacted promptly. Faxes demanding proper protection of the area started pouring in to Bredero Price, the local authorities and the minister of environment.

It took Statoil only two days to react, declaring publicly that they did not need the area. Then Bredero Price, which was under contract to Statoil, no longer had a case. The local authorities, less sensitive to international pressure, still want to use the area for industrial puposes, but presently no company is interested.

The Lundevågen campaign was an immediate success and is a good example of the importance of international cooperation within the environmental movement. A well-organized and efficient network is capable of reacting swiftly and powerfully.