A large shallow Danish Natura 2000 lagoon and island complex centered on Stavns Fjord, off the island of Samsø.
Stavns Fjord, Samsø Østerflak og Nordby Hede
Stavns Fjord, Samsø Østerflak og Nordby Hede is a Danish Natura 2000 protected area in the Kattegat, located around the northern tip of the island of Samsø in Region Midtjylland. With a total area of roughly 15,663 hectares, of which more than 95 percent is sea, it is dominated by the large shallow coastal lagoon of Stavns Fjord and the surrounding marine area that includes Nordby Bugt and Lindholm Dyb. The site is designated both as an EU Habitat Area (H51) and a Bird Protection Area (F31), and the marine parts also form Ramsar area R14.
The protected area brings together a striking mosaic of coastal and marine habitats. Sheltered shores support salt meadows and coastal grassland, while more exposed coastlines feature beach ridges, coastal cliffs, and dune landscapes. Offshore, sandbanks, reefs, lagoons, and small islands form a fragmented seascape that includes Kyholm, Lindholm, Vejrø, and the islets inside Stavns Fjord itself. Together, these habitats support breeding and resting waterbirds, seal colonies, and a varied coastal flora across dunes, heaths, and calcareous grasslands.
The area is notable for combining a classic protected shallow Danish fjord with a broader archipelago of glacial origin, where land, lagoon, and open sea meet within a single Natura 2000 site. Beyond its natural value, the landscape also reflects ancient human history, including a Viking-era canal across the neighboring land tongue at Kanhave, which falls within the protected area's broader setting.
