Garpbäcken, Naturreservat

The Garpbäckens nature reserve protects a mosaic of old deciduous forests for the future. It is home to a number of plants and animals that never occur in today's forestry. The three-toed woodpecker and the tufted titmouse, as well as a number of mosses, lichens and fungi, have their sanctuary in the reserve.

Valuable ancient forest

The sounds of axes and saws have long since fallen silent, and no felling machines have ever come here. The forest has been untouched for 100-140 years, but there are also trees, mainly pines, that are up to 200 years old. Fallen trees lie like sticks in parts of the area. Scattered throughout the forest are tall stumps and dead trees with woodpecker holes and ticks.

Life in dead wood

Did you know that over 6000 species in Sweden depend on dead wood for their survival? These include beetles and other bugs, fungi, lichens and mosses, as well as a range of insectivorous birds, such as the three-toed woodpecker and the great tit. Here they have a sanctuary in the deadwood-rich forests of Garpbäck. There is also a diversity of wood-living fungi, such as the rare spruce tick, woolly tick and border tick.

Rare lichens

The reserve's old aspens are home to lichens such as the bearded lichen, aspen yellow lichen and coral lead lichen. These lichens thrive in the high and even humidity of the forest. Large clusters of hanging lichens drape the trees in parts of the reserve. Among more common species such as bearded lichen and thorn lichen, the rare yarn lichen has been found.

Knotweed - an orchid

The knapweed is a small and inconspicuous orchid that blooms with white flowers in July-August. It can be difficult to spot, but look carefully in the thick moss carpet - if you find one, there are usually more to discover!

Availability

Garpbäcken belongs to level 1 in the county administrative board's leveling of the county's nature reserves, which means that the reserve has a wilderness character and lacks outdoor recreation facilities.