Karlsvik, Naturreservat

Karlsvik is located on the shores of Skärsjön in the popular tourist area Åkulla bokskogar. The land is very hilly with several small cliffs. The forest has basically been allowed to grow wild here over the last 50-75 years. To get here, you have to park and walk through the Skärbäck nature reserve.

The location makes Karlsvik an important piece of the puzzle in the work to make Åkulla an area where many endangered species can be given long-term protection.

Older oaks and late-growing beech trees

The beech forest is basically unaffected by forestry over the last 50 to 75 years. The majority of the trees are not much older than that, but there are some old trees scattered throughout the reserve. On the slope down to Skärsjön, for example, there are late-growing beech trees, which due to their exposed position have grown slowly and become crooked and weak. Older oaks are also found in the northern part of the reserve, but they stand on more fertile land and have therefore grown larger.

Important dead wood

As the forest in Karlsvik has been left untouched for a long time, there is a lot of dead wood and stumps in the area. This benefits many species of insects that live in or on the dead trees. The lesser spotted woodpecker also appreciates this type of forest. Here it can peck out its nest cavity and look for larvae and beetles in the wood.

Rare algae are found in the lake

The reserve boundary does not end at the shoreline but goes out a bit into Skärsjön. It is a nutrient-poor clear water lake with high values. Among other things, it contains remarkable blue-green algae called sea plum and sea holly, which are rare both in the county and in the country. In addition, the small Arctic shrimp has been found in the lake.

Café and overnight accommodation nearby

There are several places to stay in the Åkulla beech forest tourist area. There are also several cafés and restaurants in the area.