Getterön - from harbor mud to Ramsar site and from landfill to excursion destination - nature restoration of important wetland area for birds
Getterön is now one of Europe's most important bird areas, but it has not always been this way. Today's beautiful area has emerged as a result of extensive human-caused environmental damage and later nature restoration. The wetland was protected as a nature reserve in 1970, but continuous efforts are being made to preserve and improve biodiversity. The covered landfill was first made accessible to the public as a recreational area in earnest in 2023. A great destination for an outing for the whole family.
Until the 1930s, Getterön was an island separated from the mainland by a shallow strait. There were birds there, but no more than in many other places along the coast. In 1935-1936, Varberg Harbor, which is located nearby, was deepened through extensive dredging. In order for the dredged material to remain in place, it was injected between sheet pile walls in the already relatively shallow bay inside Getterön. At the same time, a road connection was made to Getterön so that the strait was divided into two, a southern cove where the harbor is located, and a northern cove where today's bird sanctuary is located.
Over time, a steady supply of nutrient-rich water from the Himleån River and discharges from Varberg's sewage system led to the emergence of shallow water areas, mudflats and salt marshes that became ideal habitats for many bird species such as geese, ducks, waders and other wetland birds. The large influx of birds led to the area being protected in 1970 as an internationally important bird area. Today, the area has both Ramsar and Natura 2000 status, and together with the Wadden Sea, Hornborgasjön and Tåkern, Getterön is considered one of the most important bird areas in Northern Europe. A result of man-made changes to nature that we would today call environmental damage and which originally had a completely different purpose than providing birds with better habitats.
The period after the conservation was not without problems, however. The strong supply of nutrient-rich water that created the special wetland nature eventually led to extensive overgrowth that made the area less suitable for birds. In the 1990s, the authorities therefore carried out extensive nature restoration, opening up reedbeds and water surfaces, restoring salt meadows and creating artificial islands for nesting birds. This effort and further continuous work led to Getterön regaining its rich bird life, and today over 170 different species regularly nest or rest there. A total of 340 species have been registered there, which makes up two-thirds of all species observed in Sweden.
Getterön is easily accessible. It is an area of about 3.5 square kilometers that has a very high density of birds, especially during the spring and autumn migration periods. In many other bird areas, the birds are so far away that only those with powerful binoculars can see them. In Getterön there are nice vantage points for those who want to study birds far out on the mudflats, but several hides have also been created where you can get so close to the birds that you can see them clearly with the naked eye. Therefore, this is a place that everyone can enjoy visiting.
On the south side of the nature reserve for birds, there used to be a landfill called Lassabackadeponin. From 1962 to 1979, all types of waste were deposited here, from ordinary household waste to refrigerators and broken furniture. After the landfill was closed in 1979, it was first covered with 30 cm of soil and sown with grass. This is how it remained inaccessible to the public until 2019. At that time, a plan was drawn up to rehabilitate the area at the same time as filling materials from the construction of the Varberg Tunnel were placed. First, the area was covered with a mat of clay, and then it was filled with large amounts of stone, gravel and soil. The clay layer ensures that rainwater runs off instead of penetrating into the deposited waste where toxic substances could have leaked out and polluted the nature.
The municipality then developed the area under the project names Fågelbacka and Lassaberget. The nature was shaped as an undulating landscape. In the end, the area was covered with a layer of soil that was sown with various grass and plant species to achieve the greatest possible biodiversity. At the same time, the 19-acre area was made available to the public as a recreation area with walkways and benches. On June 16, 2023, Naturum Getterön opened the area by arranging a guided tour of Fågelbacka, which was to be the name of the new nature area. In the summer of 2024, the Kärven observation tower was opened.
Getterön Nature Reserve is a place the whole family can enjoy visiting. There are powerful binoculars that can be borrowed for free and there are suitable viewpoints in many places where you can either see birds from afar with powerful binoculars, or see them up close with the naked eye in one of the photo shelters. Getterön is an example of how human-made destruction of nature can create valuable habitats for birds, plants and animals if the right measures are taken to further develop and restore them.
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Excursion of the week: Getterön nature reserve in Varberg in Sweden. Nature restoration on Getterön.
Suitable for: The whole family. Bird photographers and bird watchers.
How to get there: The area is located near Varberg on the west coast of Sweden. Enter Naturum Getterön in Google Maps and you will be taken straight to the parking lot, which is right next to the wetland area and Naturum.
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