Sarek National Park

In Sarek National Park, as in the most of Sápmi, a large number of the locations have names originating from the Sami languages. These languages have several variations and their written forms have changed over time, which explains why some placenames do not always correspond with each other in different sources. The most common Sami names for locations or features in the park are tjåkkå or tjåkko (mountain), vagge (valley), jåkkå or jåkko (stream), lako (plateau) and ätno (river). An example of this is Rapaätno, meaning Rapa River. These names are also the official Swedish names of the locations. == Geography ==

Location and borders Sarek National Park is situated in the Jokkmokk Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden, north of the Arctic Circle, from the Norwegian border. The area of the park is and it is adjacent to the national parks Padjelanta (in the west) and Stora Sjöfallet (in the north). The parks have a combined area of approximately . There are also a number of nature reserves nearby. Topography Sarek National Park is the most mountainous region in Sweden and it is the part of the country that mostly resembles an alpine countryside. Within the park are 19 summits higher than , the most noted being the second highest summit in Sweden after the Kebnekaise – the Sarektjåkkå with a height of . The lowest altitude in the park is found in the southwest, near Lake Rittakjaure, at . The largest valley of the park, which is also the most noted, is the Rapa Valley. This valley occupies of the park, including several branches, the most important of which are the Sarvesvagge, which climbs as far as Padjelanta, the Kuopervagge — with an area of nearly  — and the Ruotesvagge, surrounded by numerous glaciers, including those of Mount Sarektjåkkå. Among the other notable valleys, outside the Rapadalen network, are the Kukkesvagge that makes up the north-eastern border of the park, West of Pårte, the Luottolako plateau covers an area of and has an even higher altitude at . The flow fluctuates strongly with the seasons, having an average of 100 m3⋅s−1 in July and about 4 m3⋅s−1 in winter, resulting in an average annual flow of approximately 30 m3⋅s−1. The river also transports a significant quantity of sediment. In summer, it can carry up to of sediment daily. In winter it only carries a few tons every day, resulting in an annual total of . The sediment gives the river a grey-green colour and forms large deltas. The most noted of the deltas – and an emblem of the park – is the Laitaure delta (Laitauredeltat), which the river forms as it connects with Lake Laitaure. The largest are the Alkajaure (altitude ), on the border between the Sarek and the Padjelanta park, and the Pierikjaure (altitude ) near the Stora Sjöfallet National Park. File:Rapaselet-from-piellorieppe.jpg|Rapaselet File:Rapaselet (1994-09-03).jpg|Skyview of Rapaselet File:Laitaure ASTER 2002-08-09.jpg|The river delta of Laitaure == Geology ==

Formation The Sarek National Park lies within the Scandinavian Mountains, a mountain chain whose origin is still a matter of debate. The rocks of the Scandinavian Mountains were put in place by the Caledonian orogeny, The Caledonian orogeny resulted from the collision of the Laurentia and Baltica plates, 450 to 250 million years ago, with the disappearance of the Iapetus Ocean by subduction. This happened just before the formation of the chain and was caused by the appearance of a rift, which finally led to the creation of the Atlantic Ocean. Starting about 60 million years ago, both the Scandinavian and the North-American sections suffered a tectonic uplift. It is unclear what causes this and several hypotheses have been presented. Erosion The mountain chain was renewed and after that it was subjected to a new period of glacial erosion. Several further glaciations followed, forming the current landscape, with glacial valleys, cirques, nunataks etc. The park is intersected by a tangle of dikes created 608 million years ago, an era that probably corresponds with the first appearance of the rift during the formation of the Iapetus ocean. These dikes represent intrusions into the Sarektjåkkå nappe, which is composed of sediments probably deposited in the rift basin. Glaciers The park has over 100 glaciers, making it one of the most glacier-rich areas in Sweden. The glaciers are relatively small, the largest being Pårtejekna in Pårte at . However, some of the others are relatively large for Sweden, since the largest Swedish glacier, Stuorrajekna in Sulitelma (south of Padjelanta), measures . The evolution of the glaciers, particularly that of the Mikka () have been studied since the end of the 19th century, especially by mineralogist and geographer Axel Hamberg. The other glaciers in the park have an evolution similar to that of the Mikka: in 1883 to 1895 they were mostly receding, then advanced a little in 1900 to 1916, after which they started to recede again. Later they stabilised or grew, which was interpreted as being caused by the increase in winter precipitation related to global warming. The effect of the raised summer temperatures has been taken into account when assessing the data. The receding of the glaciers has resumed at a particularly rapid pace during the first years of the 21st century. == Wildlife ==

According to its WWF classification, Sarek National Park is situated in the Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands ecoregion, with a minor section in the Scandinavian and Russian taiga. With regards to the flora and fauna, Sarek does not have a wide variety of species. This is mainly explained by the fact that most of the park, except the south and south-east part, Adding to this, unlike most of the region, Sarek National Park has few vast lakes or swamps. as well as 182 species of vertebrates, 24 mammals, 142 birds, 2 reptiles, 2 amphibians and 12 fish. They often grow to an impressive size in the park, with enormous antlers. The birds in Sarek include a number of owls, such as the Ural owl, and woodpeckers, particularly the Eurasian three-toed woodpecker. The grey-headed chickadee is also very common, as are the fieldfare, the song thrush and the redwing. Reptiles and amphibians, such as the viviparous lizard, the common frog and the common European viper, are mostly found in the forests. The vipers of the Rittak region frequently reach remarkable sizes. These forests are exceptional in terms of density and richness, making it possible for significant quantities of sediment material to be carried from the mountainside by the runoff and deposited in the watercourses. This kind of transfer is particularly noted in the Rapa Valley. The size of the trees also diminishes with increasing altitude. The upper altitude limit for the forests — which is also the tree line varies greatly throughout the park, from in the Tjoulta valley to over in the Rapa Valley. The division between the birch and coniferous forests is relatively blurred, with many of the animal species listed above also present in the subalpine zone. Some small mammals are found more frequently here than in the coniferous forests, particularly several rodents such as the common shrew and the field vole. This is also the reindeers' habitat. The Sami people living within the borders of the park, have domesticated the reindeer that stay in this zone during spring and move up to the alpine zone in summer. However, it is the quantity and variety of birds is that enriches this zone. The willow warbler, the common redpoll, the brambling, the yellow wagtail, the northern wheatear and the bluethroat are characteristic of the birch forests. The raptors present in the zone are the merlin and the rough-legged buzzard, which often nests on the cliffs. Alpine zone on the slopes of the park The alpine zone is divided into several narrower zones. The first subzone is mostly characterized by heathland, with many alder shrubs, mosses and lichens, and frequently dense mats of crowberries. Cushion pink and Lapland lousewort bring autumn colour to the heaths, which are otherwise fairly monochrome. Gradually the plants become more scarce, and above there are only 18 types of plants present. There are three rare mammals who live in this zone. The wolverine inhabits a vast territory, roaming as far as the coniferous forests in winter, but the alpine zone is their main territory. They mostly eat carrion, but they do also hunt living animals such as small rodents, birds and insects. The Arctic fox is a critically endangered species in Sweden, with only 50 individuals in the whole country. They dig extensive networks of tunnels in areas above the tree-line, with several families inhabiting the same sett. In 1974–1975, the park was home to the only remaining wild wolf living in Sweden. Although the wolf population is now growing, they have not yet achieved a stable number in the park. In addition to these three mammals, Norway lemmings are also found in the park. The number of lemmings varies extremely, with massive spikes in the population during some years, immediately followed by a very rapid decline. This phenomenon is not completely understood; it appears that favourable weather, and therefore a surplus of food, results in sudden population growths, but the reason for the decline is less obvious, although it is certain that contagious diseases play some role. and the Lapland longspur. Humid zone in the national park Although the park does not have the vast marshes and lakes characteristic of the rest of the region, water is nevertheless present everywhere. The humid zones are rich with a great diversity of flora and fauna. The stratification of vegetation is just as valid in the humid zones. In the montane region, the humid soils are covered with flowers such as the northern Labrador tea, cottonsedge, the Goldilocks buttercup, St Olaf's candlestick, common selfheal and common marsh-bedstraw. In the subalpine zone, the humid prairies mainly have mats of Globe-flower, kingcup and twoflower violet. Låotakjaure Lake, on the border of Padjelanta, is interesting from an ornithological point of view. Other rare species are also present, such as the lesser white-fronted goose, the great snipe, the red-throated pipit, the long-tailed duck and the bar-tailed godwit. Arctic chars, trouts and common minnows are found in the park's lakes, rivers and streams. == Tourism ==

Sarek National Park is mainly a high-alpine area with hardly any accommodation for tourists. Hiking trails The Kungsleden hiking trail passes through the eastern part of the park, from Saltoluokta to Kvikkjokk. There are no cabins within the park, the Pårte, Aktse and Sitojaure cabins are just outside the park and they are accessible from both Saltoluokta and Kvikkjokk. The Padjelanta Trail (Padjelantaleden), running from Kvikkjokk to Akkajaure, skirts the park along its western rim at Tarraluoppal, where the Tarraluoppal cabin is just on the border of the park. Hazards Due to the lack of shelters combined with rapidly shifting weather and rough terrain, it is recommended that hikers are well prepared and experienced before setting out on the trails of the park. Fording streams There are few bridges in the park, and crossing streams (Sami: jokk) and rivers (Sami: ätno) can be dangerous for ill-equipped or inexperienced hikers. Warm weather increases the melting of the glaciers causing water levels to rise, therefore wading is often easier and safer early in the morning. The Smaila Moot Just above the canyon, formed by Smailajåkk as it descends toward Rapaätno, there is a cabin for the National Park Service (). There is also a bridge over the Smailajåkk canyon which allows hikers to cross the stream safely. The bridge is removed every winter and put back in the spring, after the spring flood. The cabin is not open to hikers, but there is an emergency shelter as well as an emergency telephone and an outhouse there. The presence of the bridge and the fact that three of the major valleys in the park (Routesvagge, Rapa Valley and Koupervagge) converge there, has resulted in the name 'Smaila Moot' for the location which has become a meeting place for hikers in the park. It is also a preferred location to start a climb to the top of the Sarektjåkkå (), via the Mikkajekna glacier. Pastavagge Pastavagge (in Lule Sami Orthography called Basstavágge) is a narrow valley, forming a pass, running from Pielavalta (Bielavallda) towards the east, ending north of Rinim on the shores of Lake Sitojaure (Sijddojávrre). The trekking distance from Pielvalta to Rinim is about . As there is a boat connection between Rinim and the Sitojaure cabins on the Kungsleden, Pastavagge is a preferred route to and from central Sarek. The difference in altitude between the eastern entrance of the valley and the highest level of the pass is about . Because of the steep climb, multiple fords and the high-alpine terrain, it usually takes at least a full day for hikers to traverse the pass. == History ==

The Sami people The region's first inhabitants arrived with the retreat of the inland seas 8,000 years ago. They were nomads who lived in Northern Scandinavia, and probably ancestors of the Samis. For those people, the mountains often had religious connotations, and several were Sieidi (places of worship). Offerings, such as antlers from reindeer, were often made in those places. Despite their hunter-gatherer way of life, the Samis kept some domesticated reindeer. They were milked and used for transport as well as other things. Sarek was mostly used as a corridor for travels, although certain prairies (Skarja and Peilavalta in particular) were used for pasture. Little by little, they left the reindeer to graze as they pleased, and stopped moving with the herds in the old way. In the 17th century the Sami were evangelized by the Swedes, who often built churches and markets in locations where the Sami traditionally stayed during winter. When the first ore deposits were discovered in the region, the Swedes attempted to persuade the Sami to prospect for other ores in the mountains, in particular silver. But in general, the Sami did not dare to reveal such information to the Swedes because they did not want to incur the disapproval of their fellow Sami. Shortly after, in 1881, the Frenchman Charles Rabot became the first man to reach the summit of Sarektjåkkå. Most noted is the work of Axel Hamberg, who had participated in an expedition to Greenland led by Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld. Hamberg began his study of the region in 1895. started a universal momentum for the protection of nature. In Sweden, the polar explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld became the first to propose using the new concept to protect areas of the Swedish landscape. Axel Hamburg, Nordenskiöld and other scientists organized a plea for establishing Sweden's first national parks, Sarek in particular. The reason given for establishing the park was, as stated in official protocols, to "preserve a high mountain landscape in its natural state". In the middle of the 20th century, with developments in hydroelectricity in Sweden, dams were frequently built across the northern rivers of Sweden. These barrages were also constructed in the national parks; the Stora Sjöfallet National Park lost nearly a third of its land area with the creation of a dam in 1919. This also led to the establishing of Padjelanta National Park. Sweden proposed that part of this zone, the Sjaunja nature reserve, should be included in the list, and in 1990 the IUCN recommended an extension to the proposed area. Being on the World Heritage list allowed the park to have its first protection plan. The plan was written with thorough consultation of the Sami, who had not been consulted when the park was established. The WWF paid for this process. This extension had already been proposed in the 1989 plan, but the situation changed with the World Heritage designation as the proposed extension would make up a sizable part of the Laponian Region. The Swedish Tourist Association (STF) was created in 1885. In 1886, they mentioned Sarek as a potential tourist site for the first time. However, the number of tourists was not more than a few dozen. The initial proposal was for a marked trail that passed through the park, a boat crossing of the Rapaselet and a mountain hut beside the river. In 1946, Dag Hammarskjöld popularised the expression "vår sista stora vildmark" ("our last great wilderness"). == Management and regulation ==

The general case As for the majority of the Swedish national parks, the management and administration of the park is divided between the Environmental Protection Agency of Sweden and the County administrative board. The Environmental Protection Agency is in charge of proposing new national parks in consultation with the county and municipality council. The establishing of each new park requires a decision from the Riksdag. Similarly, no motorised vehicles are allowed in the park. This grants the Sami the right to farm reindeer in the park. In carrying out these activities, the Sami have the right to use motorised vehicles such as snowmobiles or helicopters. There is also an ongoing debate about the damages caused by snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles in the parks. The snowmobiles have become increasingly popular and numerous, while global warming has made the terrain more vulnerable to the vehicles. Joyrides by visitors outside the marked trails have become a problem, especially for the Sami, since they claim that the disruptions made by snowmobiles may cause the pregnant female reindeer to drop their calves prematurely. == In popular culture ==

The park was the main setting of the 2017 film The Ritual, directed by David Bruckner. == See also ==