Along the northernmost point of Prins Karls Forland stretches a high mountain range in contrast to the low-lying Forlandsletta situated south of this area. Other geographical characteristics for this group of islands along the warm west-Spitsbergen stream are bird mountains and flat beaches on the western side of Forlandet, whilst the eastern side has steep glaciers and glacial fronts. Winds and currents during the time of sail included close-by encounters of the islands – situated along the west coast of Spitsbergen – quite usual in the summer months during hundreds of years. Bays and the waters facing the main island also gave a natural protection for ships during difficult weather conditions.

EARLY VISITORS

The physician and naturalist Friderich Martens made the first known brief natural history descriptions of “Voerlande” in his book published in 1675, four years after his voyage on a whaling ship. An interesting selection of drawings are also included in this pioneering work, but he was not the first observer of this group of islands, going under a multitude of names due to visitors from various countries. Willem Barentsz mapped the peninsula in 1596, Henry Hudson passed the northern point of the main island in 1607, Jonas Poole was the first to document a landing in 1610 and the first map including “Prince Charles Foreland” was drawn by the Dutch cartographer Hessel Gerrits, via information obtained from an English whaler named Robert Fotherby.



On the 1st July in 1758, the Swedish naturalist Anton Rolandsson Martin as one of Carl Linnaeus’ so-called Apostles aboard a whaling ship, made the first known and documented scientific investigation of Forlandsøyane. He got ashore and studied the landscape for a few hours only, but even so managed to make observations/drawings of the climate, fauna, flora and collect a rock specimen and some botanical samples. First 60 years later William Scoresby the Younger mentioned a landing on Forlandet in his journal 1818, whilst a more regular interest in the area was introduced in the 1860s. Some of these expeditions included: Elling Carlsen who made a landing in 1863, Richard von Drasche-Wartinberg ten years later, Alfred Nathorst made a brief visit in 1898, William Spears Bruce did several longer scientific investigations in the area between 1906 to 1920 and D.J. Atkinson & R.A McDonald performed detailed topographic and geological surveys, during three summers from 1950 to 1953.

PROTECTED WILDERNESS

Even in present-day, Prins Karls Forland and Forlandsøyane are only visited by a limited number of individuals – interested in the areas great variety of bird life, Arctic flora, rich maritime life, glaciers or geological formations. The uninhabited Prins Karls Forland has a diverse landscape, from alpine peaks over 1000 meters high, hilly topography to flat land and is part of the north Arctic tundra zone.



Since 1973 the entire island and surrounding sea area is protected as – Forlandet National Park – due to its unique and multi-facetted natural environments including ten Arctic lagoons giving advantages for biological multiplicity, as well as cultural history dating back to the earliest archeological finds of Russian and Norwegian whale hunters who stayed in huts over winter. The bird sanctuary and wetland on the island have also been recognised of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Common eiders, black guillemots and barnacle geese being some of the breeding bird populations. Breeding grounds for seals and walruses are also of great significance in the archipelago just as the estimated population of 450 reindeers. The biological values of this protected landscape further includes its Arctic flora with species as arctic wood-rush (Luzula nivalis), solitary graminoid herb (Deschampsia alpina) and reindeer lichen (Cladonia stygia). These plants and many more of the luxuriant vegetation was for instance already researched by William Spears Bruce’s polar expedition during the summers of 1906 and 1907, giving invaluable knowledge for future preservation of the area.

GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH / MONITORING AREAS

Just opposite the two most northerly and largest of Forlandsøyane – Midtøya and Nordøya – by the west coast of Forlandsletta, will the centre [LAT: 78.363333 LON: 11.614458] for Field Station | Naturae Observatio | Martin's Eye be situated. From a raising of roughly 8 metres above sea level in the otherwise very level landscape. Via this location there are favourable possibilities for observations in all points of directions, biotopes and types of landscape alike. The project has been divided into three approximate geographical research areas, including the following scientific course of studies.

• Area A: 300 metres radius and Field Station location. The observation area includes a low cliff coast with parts of sandy beaches and wetland – giving a multitude of possibilities for detailed studies of fauna and flora as well as micro-meteorology and -hydrology. Observation data: Pictures, sound (in particular for records of the bird community), meteorological data and thermography & infrared-light monitoring of mammals and birds.

• Area B: 3 km radius. Within this area of observation, besides the same terrain as in Area A, the two Forlandsøyane, Midtøya and Nordøya are also situated, which both are classified as special Ramsar bird sanctuaries. The surrounding seas are shallow and rich in nutrients. In an easterly direction, the level landscape of Forlandsletta extends with its characteristic geology and wetlands. This area gives unique possibilities for detailed studies of fauna and flora as well as micro-meteorology and -hydrology. Observation data: Pictures (in particular long-term panoramic studies and recording of birds at Forlandsøyane) and meteorological data.

  
  
• Area C: 30 km radius. Within this largest area, besides the same terrain as in Area A and B, mountain and glacier areas are also situated in north, south and east of Forlandssundet, but also the coastal districts along the west coast of Forlandet and in an easterly direction off the open sea areas around Låglandsflaket. Observations from Area C provide Area A and B with important and additional data over weather systems of the entire area as well as changes of the seasons over both sea and land. Of particular interest is to fullfil long-term observations of the dynamic effect between land and seas, between the low-lying land and the mountainous areas and their glaciers. Observation data: Pictures (in particular long-term panoramic studies), meteorological data and documentation of Aurorae and Ooort-cloud comets.