The Ministry of Environment will establish a national park in West Greenland on Monday, June 1. This will be done in cooperation with Qeqqata Municipality and Qeqertalik Municipality, both of which have municipal borders with the national park.
This is the first time in more than 50 that Greenland has established a new national park.
The aim is to preserve the area's nature and landscapes for future generations and ensure that citizens continue to have the opportunity for traditional use of the area, while tourism can develop to the benefit of local communities.
- With the establishment of West Greenland's National Park, we are taking an important step towards protecting the unique natural values in West Greenland for the benefit of both current and future generations. It is a national park created by Greenland itself, ensuring that citizens can continue to use the area as they have always done, while at the same time creating new opportunities for local development and sustainable tourism, says Naalakkersuisoq for Environment, Nature, Energy and Research Jørgen Rosbach (D).
Local initiative Preparations for the establishment of the national park were initiated in 2020 by Qeqertalik Municipality, Qeqqata Municipality and the Wild Nature Foundation. With support from the EU's Green Growth Programme, Naalakkersuisut has secured funding for the majority of the work on the national park. Over the years, several citizen meetings have been held in the municipalities to involve citizens in the process.
- For Qeqqata Municipality, it has been crucial that the national park both contributes to protecting some of Greenland's most unique natural assets and at the same time takes into account the way the area has traditionally been used for hunting and fishing through generations, says Mayor of Qeqqata Municipality Malik Berthelsen (S).
The Mayor of Qeqertalik Municipality expresses his pleasure that several actors have been involved in the project to ensure the best possible conditions for nature and people. Among others, researchers and hunters have helped to ensure knowledge about the area that is now being established as a national park.
- It has been crucial for us that local knowledge has not only been heard, but has also had a real influence on the final result, so that we ensure a national park that takes into account the traditional use of the area now and in the future, says Mayor of Qeqertalik Municipality Simigaq Heilmann (D).
Three main focuses
West Greenland National Park covers a large area between Kangerlussuaq and Disko Bay.
The national park was established with three main purposes:
It is also explained that the area may be open to hunting during hunting periods for the population.
One of the first initiatives will be to give the national park a Greenlandic name, and citizens will be invited to participate in a naming competition in the near future, according to the Department of the Environment.
