Bromsberget, Naturreservat

Bromsberget is at its best in the spring and early summer! That’s when the bluebells and the fragrant sweet woodruff bloom among the beautiful hazel groves. You might even be lucky enough to spot a nutcracker or a rock bunting as well! Photo: Dalarna County Administrative Board

Hazel and Other Hardwoods, as well as Spruce

In addition to the abundant hazel stands, there are also some hardwood trees here, including a small number of linden and maple trees, as well as a few more elms. But there are also what are known as common hardwoods—that is, aspen, birch, willow, rowan, and alder. In many parts, hazel is the dominant species, along with middle-aged spruce.

How did the forest come to be like this?

Until the 1970s, the area was one of Dalarna’s finest hardwood forests. Most of the old deciduous trees in the area—both common and hardwood species—were ring-barked at that time. The idea was to promote the growth of more spruce trees. This was largely successful, although a large number of the older deciduous trees survived the ring-barking. Hazel also thrived, developing in patches into pure groves.

Fantastic birds and beautiful flora

Birdlife is abundant, featuring the nutcracker, the rock bunting, and several pairs of hazel grouse. Daphne and hepatica are found throughout the area. The musk orchid has been observed at one location. Many species benefit from the limestone-influenced bedrock and the deciduous woodlands, including hazel.

The nutcracker

The nutcracker is entirely dependent on the presence of hazel. The northern limit of the bird’s range follows almost exactly the boundary of hazel’s distribution in Sweden. From late August through October, nutcrackers are most frequently seen. During this time, they gather nuts for the winter. Behind its tongue, the nutcracker has a large pouch. Up to 20 nuts can be squeezed into this pouch, which it then carries away. The nuts are subsequently hidden on the ground beneath the moss. The nutcracker locates its nuts with great precision, even when the ground is covered by a thick blanket of snow.

Daphne

Daphne blooms on bare twigs, that is, even before the leaves have had time to emerge. This sometimes happens as early as March, while the snow is still on the ground. The flowers are fragrant. The fruits are bright red, almost round, berry-like drupes. But be careful! The entire plant is highly toxic. The bark and berries, in particular, contain daphnetoxin and mezerein, which are highly irritating.