Värnaby, Naturreservat

This small reserve was established as early as 1921 to preserve a beech-only forest. The forest has basically looked after itself over the years, which means that other tree species have also found their way here. But beech still dominates, almost 100 years after the reserve was created!

Beautiful beech forest

The reserve's beech forest grows on hilly ground that is rich in stones and boulders. Most of the beech trees are middle-aged. But there are exceptions. Along the stone fence that follows the road are some really old beech trees. Unlike their younger relatives, whose straight trunks together are reminiscent of a pillared hall, the old beech trees have rough and gnarled trunks.

Changing forest

The beech forest is perhaps at its most beautiful when the leaves burst in spring. The sun's rays still find their way to the ground and when the light hits the beech leaves, they glow in beautiful yellow-green hues. After the leaves burst, the light is shut out and it becomes dark inside the forest. Only a few plants manage to grow in the scarce light conditions. The grasses meadow-grass and creeping thistle, as well as the bush starflower, are some examples of plants that can grow in the shade under the beech trees.