Store Vildmose 1.88

Store Vildmose is bogland located in northern Jutland, Vendsyssel, about 20 km north-west of Aalborg. It is the remnant of an extensive raised peat bog, in large part drained by constructed canals in the early 20th century. Some areas are still relatively untouched and give an impression of the original nature of this bog.The area has both national and international importance, as it presents one of the largest contiguous areas of raised bog in Denmark, home to many rare animals and plants. Store Vildmose covers an area of about 6,000 hectares today, of which 1,895 hectares are protected areas. Most of the protections are designated for EU habitat, but the boglands are also to be protected as a scientific and archaeological important conservation zone.Store Vildmose is part of the Natura 2000 network.HistoryIn the Stone Age, the area was a big lake, which eventually dried up and was later cultivated by Iron Age farmers. In the middle ages, climate change had increased precipitation, stimulating the spread of peat moss and turning the area into one of the largest bogs in Europe. Store Vildmose eventually reached its maximum area in the 1800s, before drainage and peat cutting on a larger scale was initiated. As the peat has been dug up through the ages, various relics and artifacts from the Iron Age have been unearthed.