Lillådalen, Naturreservat

The Lillådalen Nature Reserve begins in the north at Erik-Knutsåsen, a hill 859 meters above sea level located next to the Mörkret-Gördalen road. Here, there is an observation tower that offers a magnificent view of the mountain landscape in western Särna. From here, you can also see the reserve extending southward along the slopes of Lillådalen and Östra Hållan. The reserve forms a link between Fulufjället National Park to the south and Drevfjället Nature Reserve to the north.

Vegetation

The Avundskölen marshland and its northern extension form a large, undisturbed wetland area framed by pine-dominated dry forests and old-growth forest. The marshes vary in terms of both moisture levels and nutrient availability. Most are nutrient-poor, firm-mat bogs with sparse vegetation, but adjacent to the diabase outcrops at Erik-Knutsåsen, there are nutrient-rich fens featuring, among other species, bog bilberry and meadow knapweed.

Sparse mountain birch forests dominate the higher elevations and gradually transition into mixed birch-coniferous forests at lower elevations. Pine forest predominates, especially on the many dry moraine hills. Spruce forests grow along streams and in certain areas with surface runoff, particularly near the diabase bedrock. These are mostly blueberry-type forests, but in places the herbaceous layer is significantly richer in plant species.

Of particular interest in the forested areas are the streams that have carved fairly deep ravines, where one finds a rich flora, including a very valuable moss and lichen flora. Furthermore, there are narrow glaciofluvial erosion channels with special conditions for vegetation. The flora and fauna are otherwise largely the same as in the adjacent Fulufjället National Park. The Fulubågan River is home to brown trout and burbot, while Slättåstjärn Lake has char and some brown trout.

Bedrock and Water

The bedrock consists of Dala sandstone, cut through by an approximately 18-meter-thick layer of Öjediabase. The diabase layer runs north-south along the entire slope. Unlike the rest of Fulufjället, the area exhibits no striking geomorphological features. In places, however, the moraine has a strongly undulating, dead-ice character in the lower parts of the valley.

There are only two lakes in the area: the small Granåstjärnen and the approximately 21-hectare Slättåstjärnen. From these, Skärdalsbäcken flows southward, joining Lillån and eventually Görälven. The northern parts drain through Bellebäcken into Fulubågan and Fulan. On the southern slope, there are a few smaller streams: Görankällan and Sågbäcken, which flow down to the Görälven.