Matsalycke, Naturreservat

Next to the Helgeån river is the small Matsalycke nature reserve, which is crossed by national road 19. On the eastern side of the road, closest to the river, there is a younger alder forest. On the western side is a wooded pasture with some large ash trees.

Matsalycke nature reserve consists mainly of a grazed ash grove with elements of oak, alder, birch and hazel. The area was previously used for meadow mowing and a number of large and pollarded trees are visible traces from that time.

The field layer is affected by eutrophication and is dominated by stinging nettles, dog's-foot trefoil and various sedges. However, the former meadow still harbors a finer flora with species such as almond blossom, meadow saxifrage, hop flowers and the orchid St. Peter's keys.

In English

Welcome to Matsalycke Nature Reserve

Matsalycke was donated to the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation on 12 May 1956, in order to preserve the grazed ash grove on either side of the road. Since 1976, the area is protected as a nature reserve.

The land was once a hay meadow, providing winter fodder for the animals. But it is almost a hundred years ago since hay was scythed here. Today, the area to the west of the road is a wooded pasture. Plants that remind us of the former meadow include cowslip, water avens and early-purple orchid. Pollarded ash trees grow in the pasture, where leaf fodder was gathered for the animals. Today, ash dieback is seriously affecting the trees, and one after another the old trees surrender to the desease. The area down towards Helgeå, to the east of the road, was also used for haymaking at one time. But since the 1930s, it has gradually developed into alder swamp forest.

Regulations

Within Matsalycke Nature Reserve it is forbidden to:

• disturb wildlife by close-up photography or climbing in nesting trees,
• bring unleashed dogs or other loose pets,
• light fires,
• break off branches, fell or in any other way damage living or dead trees, or damage other vegetation e.g. by picking or digging up herbs or grasses,
• camp or park caravans or,
• put up notice boards, placards, posters, signs, or similar, or make inscriptions.