page_title: Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park
section_title: Ecology
hierarchical_section_title: Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park / Ecology
caption_attribution_description: English: Åmotan Waterfall, Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park
context_page_description: Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park is a National Park in Norway. It was established in 2002 to replace and enlarge the former Dovrefjell National Park, established in 1974. It occupies 1,693 square kilometres and encompasses areas in three Norwegian counties: Innlandet, Trøndelag, and Møre og Romsdal and includes large parts of the mountain range of Dovrefjell. Together with the National Park, there are eight landscape protected areas and two biotope protected areas that were established adjacent to the park in 2002, comprising a total protected area of 4,366 square kilometres, including also parts of Hedmark county.
context_section_description: The National Park was established to
  preserve a large, continuous and essentially untouched mountain area,
  preserve an alpine ecosystem with its natural biodiversity,
  preserve an important part of the range of the stocks of wild reindeer in Snøhetta and Knutshø,
  safeguard a variation in habitats,
  preserve the landscape morphology and its distinctive geological deposits,
  protect cultural heritage.
  The public do have access to experience the nature through the exercise of the traditional and simple outdoor life, with technical infrastructure only established to a very modest extent.
  In short: To preserve an intact alpine ecosystem with its indigenous wild reindeer. Together with the reindeer in Rondane National Park the last remaining population of wild Fennoscandian reindeer of possible Beringia origin (other wild Norwegian reindeer are of European origin and have interbred with domesticated reindeer to a various extent), wolverine, and various large birds as golden eagle and gyrfalcon can be seen, and also the recently (1947) imported (and potentially dangerous) musk oxen.  Arctic fox was common a hundred years ago, diminished gradually from approx. 1900 and went extinct in the area approx 1990. A reintroduction program from 2010 on has so far been successful.
  Some of the plant life predates the last ice age. There are many endemisms in the area.
  Although it is a harsh environment, the mountains, the highest being Snøhetta at 2,286 m, make for spectacular hiking during the summer and skiing in the winter.  Due to rather long walks between mostly unstaffed huts, great areas without huts and trails and harsh and unstable weather conditions, this area is recommended for experienced and well-equipped wanderers only.
  An unequalled natural attraction in Norway is the 156 m high waterfall down in Åmotan (62°30′36.14″N 9°03′32.26″E). It is located at road 70 between Oppdal and Sunndalsøra at the northern border of Åmotan-Grøvudalen Landscape Protected Area, on the northern edge of Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park.
caption: Waterfall Åmotan
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