Adjacent bodies of water Bay of Bothnia Municipality Piteå Municipality Adjacent body of water Bothnian Bay | Province Norrbotten Population Uninhabited | |
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Vargön is an island in the northwest of the Swedish sector of the Bay of Bothnia, in the Piteå archipelago.
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Map of Varg%C3%B6n, Pite%C3%A5 %C3%96, Sweden
Location
Vargön lies in the inner archipelago of Piteå. Since 1977 it has been designated a nature reserve. Camping is allowed, and visitors may fish and hunt, pick berries and mushrooms, make fires in designated areas and camp. An old fisherman's cottage may be used for overnight stays. In the winter, when the ice is at least 30 centimetres (12 in) thick, marked snowmobile trails are set from Svartnäsudden (Bredänget) out to Mellerstön, about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi), then to Vargön, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi).
The island is mainly covered with coniferous forests, but has open sandy areas. Pines grow near the shore and there are thinner old pine forests farther inland. The forests are rich in plant species. The island also holds wetlands and different shore environments. Raptors that have been seen nesting on the island included osprey, goshawk and hawk.
The island has been considered as a site for wind power generation, as have Rånön in Kalix, Baggen in Piteå and Stor-Brändön in Luleå. However a 2009 report concluded that construction could not be justified given the relatively small potential capacity, the cost and environmental damage.