Deletjärnsåsen, Naturreservat

The area has both a high botanical and a high zoological value, as several endangered species, found in natural forests, live here.

The terrain is very hilly, with steep slopes, mudflats and rising mountains. The reserve is located at about 195 - 250 m.a.s.l. It is characterized by a prominent rift valley, Gårdalen, in a northeast - southwest direction and east of it a ridge, Deletjärnsåsen, whose crest is about 250 m.a.s.l. In the extension of the rift valley to the north there is a flat area with moist spruce forest, several small marshes and a small pine bog.

In the southern part of Deletjärnsåsen, the forest is a natural forest with a lot of dead wood and a high proportion of deciduous trees, especially old, coarse aspen. On the steep slopes of Gårdalen, the environment is very damp. There is a spruce forest with several species of white moss in the ground layer.

On sections with exposed rock and along the crest of Deletjärnsåsen, pine takes over the forest. The forest is marked by fire. Fire sounds, trees marked by fire, are scattered across the area and together with the natural forest stands' wealth of deciduous trees, they suggest a landscape characterized by fire. In the wetter parts of the area, however, fires have been less frequent.

The reserve was established to preserve a deciduous burn with elements of wetlands, mountain slopes and fire refugia, and to develop other forest land in the reserve to natural forest-like conditions. The area is part of the EU's Natura 2000 network of valuable nature sites, and the EU's Life-Nature fund has part-financed the information and protection of this Natura 2000 site.

Animals and plants

Several endangered species of cryptogams (lichens, mosses and fungi) are present, as well as a large number of species, indicating that the forest has not been used for a long time. The cryptogamic flora mainly includes species associated with dead wood and old aspen.

The bird fauna of Deletjärnsåsen includes the three-toed woodpecker, capercaillie and wolverine. The presence of dead wood provides good conditions for wood-living insects.