Bromängen, Naturreservat

Bromängen nature reserve is a calcareous marsh with an unusual and special flora, including several different orchid species. The small semi-grass axagus also grows here, which is typical of rich marshes with very high lime levels. Among the mosses there are also several special, calcareous species.

Lime-rich soils

Bromängens is a so-called rich marsh with many specialized species. It contains plenty of minerals such as lime, but less nutrients. The lime is brought to the surface by penetrating groundwater that has passed through calcareous soil layers. The bedrock also contains lime. Axag also grows here, a semi-grass that forms typical round tufts. Axag can only be found in bogs with very high lime content. Between the wet bogs rise species-poor mosses that have no contact with the calcareous groundwater. Scattered pines grow in a carpet of various white mosses. The coniferous forest around the marshes consists largely of swamp forest, here too you will find a species-rich and calcareous vegetation.

Stars, mosses and orchids

A diversity of different species of sedges is typical of calcareous marshes. In Bromängen, thorny sedge, beaked sedge and white sedge grow, among other things. White sedge is a northern species, which here is at its southern limit. Dwarf lesser celandine and wiregrass are other examples of northern species that survive far to the south thanks to the special environment of the fen. Stately orchids such as meadowsweet and marsh marigold also grow here. Many mosses also thrive in calcareous, wet soils like these. Golden moss, scorpion moss and brass moss are some of the mosses that form beautiful mats in Bromängens kärr.

Unusual with calcareous marshes

Drainage, overgrowth and cultivation are some common reasons why a large number of marshes have disappeared from our landscape. It is therefore particularly important to preserve those that remain. Here in Bromängen, too, there are traces of drainage and some peat extraction. The fact that the previous mowing has also long since ceased means that the bog is struggling with overgrowth of, among other things, reed canary grass.

Lime-loving snail

The tiny limpet is another rarity for the site. At barely two millimeters long, it lives a truly hidden life from our eyes. It thrives best in open calcareous marshes with moving water via a stream or spring. The sun's rays reach down to warm the ground and water surface where the snail lives. In winter, it takes shelter in the sedges.

A village with many nature reserves

In the village of Älvhyttan you will find several nature reserves. In the middle of the village is Venakärret - a so-called extreme fen where you will find even more of the typical fen species. Without getting your feet wet, too, if you follow the boarded path. East of Venaärret, species-rich pastures open up in Vena Hage and a little further south, on the way up towards Övra gården, are the old hayfields Älvhytteängen. On the southwest shore of Lake Älvlången you will find Näsmarkerna - a species-rich forest pasture.