You are in one of Sweden's largest areas of drifting sand. In the 19th century, coniferous forest was planted here to bind the drifting sand that choked the farmers' crops. Today, the forest is home to a wide range of plants and animals that are linked to old trees and sandy environments.
Sand environments
The sandy environments of the Böda coast were formed after the last ice age. The sand comes from both land and the Baltic Sea and has been transported here by wind and waves. In the eastern parts of the reserve there is a flying sand field with high sand dunes. The dunes run parallel to the road that runs through the reserve and between the dunes are small, elongated marshes. To the west of the road, the sand field turns into calcareous moraine soils.
Forest plain
The reserve is dominated by older coniferous forests. Some of the forest was planted in the 1800s to prevent the sand from escaping. So in addition to pine and spruce, you may also come across non-native species such as thuja, Douglas fir and weymouth pine. Oak, maple, beech, yew and hazel also grow here and there.
Species-rich
The forests of Böda slope are rich in plant and animal life. The nightjar thrives in the sparse forest, where it can hunt insects in the glades at night. Other birds in the area include the osprey and the robin. The blue-footed sponge is one of several unusual fungi that grow in the calcareous soils of the older coniferous forest. Rare lichens such as ring lichen and wire lichen grow on old trees in damp conditions.
Hiking trail
Böda slopes is a popular area for outdoor activities. There are opportunities for hiking along the Böda Trail, which runs through the reserve area, or on one of the smaller trails and jogging tracks. It is close to the sandy beaches of the Böda coast and there are plenty of blueberries among the dunes.