Human activity in spring may unwittingly disturb bird nests made on the ground and birds resting mid-migration. Nesting grounds and migration stops are protected by nature conservation and subject to movement restrictions, the Environmental Board is asking everyone to follow these restrictions.
Spring is a sensitive time in the animal kingdom when offspring are born. In order to lessen your impact on nature and its habitants, please read up on how best to behave while visiting nature.
Birds may be disturbed by walking through their colonies, but also by staying in the area of their colony for too long. “Bird nests may also be in danger of being crushed by boats being pulled to shore and over any potential nesting grounds. When walking your pets, please keep them on a leash so they won’t pose a threat to animals and their young,” said Kaja Lotman, advisor to the Natural Resource Management department of the Environmental Board.
As a result of being disturbed, birds can abandon their nests or their young, who will perish without the help of their parents. Birds scared away from their nesting sites lose valuable energy, and consequently they may remain away from the nest for too long, letting their eggs cool down and die. “If a hatching bird is forced to fly away from its nest in a hurry, it won’t have the time to cover its eggs. This means that the eggs can also become prey. Some birds who build nests on the ground can hide their homes so well that people walking on the beach won’t notice them and trample on them by accident,” said Lotman.
Reminders for Nature-Goers
- Avoid areas such as islets, beaches, meadows and swamps. Birds living there nest mostly on the ground. Map out safe areas for a hike with the help of the Land Board’s nature conservation area web map.
- Keep your pets away from nesting sites.
- Vehicles are only permitted on roads that are marked as a continuous line on the map. Pay attention to traffic signs prohibiting entry by vehicle.
- Do not drive your boat too fast in nesting areas or areas where hatchlings go for swims. Before heading out, check if the use of motorboats is permitted on your route.
Movement restrictions are easily accessible through the user-friendly nature conservation area web map. Following the map will help reduce the amount of times birds are disturbed out of ignorance.
It is permitted to explore nature conservation areas, with the exception of nature reserves. Nature reserves are areas that are kept free of human activity year-round. Areas where human-activity is completely forbidden are marked with red. Yellow areas are only forbidden during certain times.
The web map also lists when these areas may be visited and some exceptions that apply. In order to move through these areas during a period where human activity is forbidden, a license can be applied for on the home page of the Environmental Board.
Camping and making fires is only permitted in specific locations inside the conservation areas. Campfires made recklessly and in unsuitable places can cause forest fires, and as a result many animals will die.
