Areas in Svalbard affected by infrastructure development
Considerable encroachments on the map above include roads, disused railway lines, cableways and power lines. Source: Norwegian Polar Institute’s map database. The map was last updated 23 August 2002.
Are we moving in the right direction?
The map shows severe damages from technical installations and tracks. Some of these are increasing, well-defined or less defined tracks. Some of the damages made by the tracks will heal naturally over time. The extent of the more heavy technical encroachments since 2002 are limited to smaller areas at Mt. Gruve-7-fjellet and Svalbard Satellite station, as well the Sveagruva mining area. The largest encroachment not shown on the map is the road from Sveagruva to Svea Nord and Høganesbreen. In general the heavy encroachments are concentrated around the settlements, including the Russian settlement Pyramiden.