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Nonimation of Surtsey for the UNESCO World Heritage List

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Nonimation of Surtsey for the UNESCO World Heritage List Surtsey kápa 2007 16.1.2007 8:15 Page 1 Nomination of Surtsey for the UNESCO World Heritage List World for the UNESCO Nomination of Surtsey 2007 January Nomination of SURTSEY for the UNESCO World Heritage List Ministry of Education, Science and Culture 2007 Surtsey UNESCO 050107.qxd 15.1.2007 16:27 Page 1 Nomination of SURTSEY for the UNESCO World Heritage List Snorri Baldursson and Álfheiður Ingadóttir (eds.) 2007 Surtsey UNESCO 050107.qxd 15.1.2007 14:15 Page 2 DIC INS N TI A T L U E T C E I • • O Y F R N O A T T IS U R A L H Editors: Snorri Baldursson and Álfheiður Ingadóttir Photo on cover: Torgny Nordin 2003: Surtsey island, aerial view from the southwest Maps and drawings: Lovísa Ásbjörnsdóttir and Anette Th. Meier Photos: Source is given at individual photo Cover and layout: Prentsnið Ltd. Helga Tómasdóttir Printed by: Guðjónó – An environmentally friendly printing house © 2007 Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands/Icelandic Institute of Natural History Hlemmur 3 – P.O.Box 5320 – 125 Reykjavík – Iceland Recommended citation: Snorri Baldursson and Álfheiður Ingadóttir (eds.) 2007. Nomination of Surtsey for the UNESCO World Heritage List. Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Reykjavík, 123 pages. ISBN-978-9979-9335-6-4 Surtsey UNESCO 050107.qxd 15.1.2007 14:15 Page 3 Preface Surtsey is a scientifically unique area. It offers an outstanding example of a virgin, volcanic island that is being actively created and shaped by geological, geomorphological and ecological processes. The present nomination document proposes that the Surtsey Nature Reserve, including the entire Surtsey volcano and the surrounding sea, be recognised through the award of World Heritage Site status, in particular due to its international importance for the natural sciences. It was on 15 November 1963 that Surtsey emerged as a new volcanic island in the picturesque Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. The formation of Surtsey provided the scientific community with a unique opportunity to study the development of an oceanic volcano from its inception on the sea floor to the creation of an island, and then throughout the modification of this newly erected structure by physical and ecological processes. Since its emergence, the island of Surtsey has been strictly protected and human influence restricted to a minimum. Surtsey has thus offered a natural laboratory in geology, geomorphology and ecology which has provided invaluable information on the creation and history of the Earth and its biosphere. Preparations for this nomination have involved local and national authorities and various interested parties. Commissioned by the Icelandic World Heritage Committee, the Icelandic Institute of Natural History has compiled this nomination document with the assistance and advice of many people and institutions. Our vision is that a World Heritage Site status will further the long-term conservation of Surtsey as a pristine nature reserve. Thus we feel it is both a delight and an honour to recommend this nomination to the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. Ragnheiður Helga Þórarinsdóttir Chair Icelandic World Heritage Committee Steingrímur Hermannsson Jón Gunnar Ottósson Chair Director General Surtsey Research Society Icelandic Institute of Natural History Jóhann Sigurjónsson Davíð Egilson Director General Director General Marine Research Institute Environment and Food Agency Elliði Vignisson Snorri Baldursson Mayor Project Manager Municipality of Vestmannaeyjar Icelandic Institute of Natural History Surtsey UNESCO 050107.qxd 15.1.2007 14:15 Page 4 This nomination has been commissioned by the Icelandic World Heritage Committee on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the Ministry for the Environment. The editors and authors are responsible for all the presented results and conclusions. Members of the Icelandic World Heritage Committee: Ragnheiður H. Þórarinsdóttir, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Chair Árni Bragason, Environment and Food Agency of Iceland Kristín Huld Sigurðardóttir, The Archaeological Heritage Agency of Iceland Sigurður Á. Þráinsson, Ministry for the Environment Project management and editing: Snorri Baldursson and Álfheiður Ingadóttir, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Authors: Sveinn P. Jakobsson, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Borgþór Magnússon, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Erling Ólafsson, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Guðríður Þorvarðardóttir, Environment and Food Agency of Iceland Karl Gunnarsson, Marine Research Institute Snorri Baldursson, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Ævar Petersen, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Contributing authors and advisors: Baldur Bjartmarsson, Icelandic Maritime Administration Gísli Viggósson, Icelandic Maritime Administration Guðríður Gyða Eyjólfsdóttir, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Haraldur Sigurðsson, University of Rhode Island, USA Hörður Kristinsson, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Reynir Fjalar Reynisson, University of Trondheim, Norway Steingrímur Hermannsson, Surtsey Research Society, Reykjavík Tony Weighell, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, UK Trausti Jónsson, The Icelandic Meteorological Office Maps and graphics: Lovísa Ásbjörnsdóttir and Anette Th. Meier, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Technical assistance: Pálína Héðinsdóttir and Ragnhildur Sigrún Björnsdóttir, Icelandic Institute of Natural History Cover and lay-out: Helga Tómasdóttir, Prentsnið Ltd. Language assistance and translation: Lingua / Norðan Jökuls Drawings (birds and plants): Jón Baldur Hlíðberg 3D interpretation: Þórdís Högnadóttir, University of Iceland Photos: Source is given at individual photo Surtsey UNESCO 050107.qxd 15.1.2007 14:15 Page 5 SURTSEY island of Surt In the ancient Eddic poem Völuspá, the prophetess describes the birth as well as the fate of life. She tells Odin about the world tree – the ash Yggdrasil – and about life as it was created and has evolved on earth but will in the end be destroyed by fires of the giant Surt, the dark ruler of fire. Upon Ragnarök, the final destruction of the world, Surt will lead the sons of Muspel against the gods. As he enters “burning everything in his path, men plunge to hell and the heavens are split apart”*. Völuspá Völuspá: The Prophecy* 52. vísa Verse 52 Surtur fer sunnan Surt comes from the south með sviga lævi, with his wood-eating fire, skín af sverði sun glints on the sword sól valtíva, of the godly warriors. grjótbjörg gnata, Boulders slam together, en gífur rata, sending trolls tumbling, troða halir helveg, men tread the path to Hell en himinn klofnar. and the heavens cleave. In 1963, when volcanic fires began erupting on the seabed south of Iceland and building up a tephra cone, it was found appropriate that the resulting island should be named Surtsey, a word formed in the normal Icelandic manner of including the possessive form of a person's name in a place name: Surtsey = Surt's island (ey meaning “island” in Icelandic) = the island of Surt, the fire giant. *Völuspá: The Prophecy. The prophecy of the Vikings – the creation of the world. Gudrun 2001. English translation by Bernard Scudder, p. 70. Surtsey UNESCO 050107.qxd 15.1.2007 14:15 Page 6 Surtsey UNESCO 050107.qxd 15.1.2007 14:15 Page 7 Contents 1 Identification of the property ............................................................................................................................. 8 2 Description 2.a Description of property ............................................................................................................................. 11 Iceland – geological overview............................................................................................................... 11 Vestmannaeyjar archipelago................................................................................................................... 13 Topography............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Geology .................................................................................................................................................................. 16 The climate............................................................................................................................................................ 25 Offshore waves................................................................................................................................................... 26 Terrestrial life ....................................................................................................................................................... 27 Vegetation .............................................................................................................................................................. 32 Birds ............................................................................................................................................................................ 34 Invertebrates ......................................................................................................................................................... 37 Marine life.............................................................................................................................................................. 39 2.b History and development.........................................................................................................................
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