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 This boggy area northeast of the
glacier snout Eyjabakkajokull is one of the main breeding areas of the pink
footed goose in the world. The estimated number of breeding pairs is 7000.
A part of
this bird sanctuary was flooded to create a man made
lake for the largest hydro electric power station of the country. A
great number of people demonstrated and voiced its protests against the policy of the government and the
Energy Authority to spread the power stations all over the central highlands
in stead of concentrating on exploiting the partially harnessed areas fully.
Many people, especially in the eastern part of the country have supported these plans, which would probably lead to the
construction of a 480.000 tons aluminium smelter by
Alcoa on the fjord Reydarfjordur. In
the early 2003, an agreement was
reached with the international concern Alcoa to construct a 290.000 tons
aluminium smelter, and the government decided to abandon the idea of
flooding the whole Eyjabakkar Area. Another much disputed area at
Karahnukar was selected.
Already in 2002 work at the biggest hydroelectric project in the country was
launched by the National Energy Authority to meet with the needs of the
foreseeable plant.
The Eyjabakkar area is so boggy, that people claim
to have seen some reindeer vanish there. The swamps
are mainly vegetated with sedges and other plants, which thrive well
under such wet conditions. After the many branches of the glacial
river floeing through this flat
area, unite, and the river cascades into a canyon. The most prominent waterfalls
there are the Eyjabakkafoss and Kirkjufoss.
Snaefell
(Touring Association’s hut) 29 km <Eyjabakkar> Egilsstadir
86 km.
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