page_title: Læsø
section_title: Nature and protections
hierarchical_section_title: Læsø / Nature and protections
context_page_description: Læsø is the largest island in the North Sea bay of Kattegat, and is located 19 kilometres off the northeast coast of the Jutland Peninsula, the Danish mainland. Læsø is also the name of the municipality on that island. The island is a location mentioned in several instances in Norse mythology, including as the dwelling of the sea jötunn Ægir and as a feasting place of the Norse gods, the Æsir.
context_section_description: Læsø has an outstanding botanical interest. The nature-types on and around Læsø includes open water, extensive mudflats, sand banks, heathland, islets and areas of arable land. It houses Denmarks largest tidal saltmarsh outside the Wadden Sea but the decline in grazing animals has led to a gradual vegetational succession. Invasive species are colonizing the site, especially Japanese Rose, and scrub clearance has been implemented to re-establish the former pastures open heathland. Seals like the Harbor seal are breeding around Læsø and the whole area is an internationally important area for wintering, molting and staging waterbirds. Therefore, a Ramsar protection was put into force in 1977 (number 149) and today it encompass 66,548 ha.
caption: A particular feature of Læsø is its half-timbered houses thatched with eelgrass
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