Yttre Hedane, Naturreservat

Yttre Hedane is a suitable destination for those who want to study our deciduous trees and a rich meadow flora. No less than 13 different tree species grow in the reserve, including the hardwoods ash, elm, oak, lime and maple.

The area consists of a deciduous meadow landscape located on a southern slope at about 220 meters above sea level with an extensive view of the surrounding forest landscape to the south.

Two farms have existed within the reserve. The oldest is mentioned as a taxed croft in the land registers already in the 1580s. A storehouse remains in the northern part of the reserve, but otherwise it is only the foundations of houses that remind us of where the farms were located. Today, the farmland and farm environments are maintained by annual mowing.

The reserve was established to preserve an old agricultural landscape with remnants of deciduous meadows and traces of old-time haymaking, and to give the natural meadow flora and broadleaf vegetation a chance to survive. The area is part of the EU's Natura 2000 network of protected areas.

Animals and plants

The deciduous meadows have a very rich herbaceous flora with species such as haymaking, pig's root, maidenhair fern and field bindweed. There are many broadleaf trees such as elm, ash, oak, lime and maple. Several trees are pollarded (pruned). The flower-rich land attracts many insects, with butterflies and beetles being a notable feature. Among the birds, it is mainly warblers that make themselves heard in spring and early summer, such as warblers, green warblers, blackcaps, garden warblers and warblers. Woodpeckers such as the green wren, the common chough and the great spotted woodpecker are regularly seen. In the fall, the area's hazel bushes are visited by nuthatches.

Before your visit

There are no facilities in the reserve, but you are welcome to explore the area on your own.