Bergs naturskog, Naturreservat

Berg's natural forest is perhaps as close to primeval forest as you can get in Halland. Here you will find old beech forest but also mixed coniferous forests where spruce and pine dominate. In the reserve there is a marked trail of a couple of kilometers that shows you the way through the forest.

The Bergs Naturskog nature reserve covers about 140 hectares of untouched natural forest on the west side of the southern Swedish highlands. The area is located on an elongated slope down to Ätran, just southwest of Gällared. Nature here is characterized by the high rainfall, which is slightly less than 1,000 millimeters annually.

Plenty of dead wood

The reserve consists mainly of mixed coniferous forest with moss-rich coarse spruce forest on the lower slopes and spruce swamp forest along the stream. There is also tall pine forest. In the southern parts of the area there is a section with older, coarse beech forest. The dense forest is very impressive and here are single spruces that are about 40 meters high. There has been no forestry, so there is plenty of dead wood in the form of windfalls and flames that convey the feeling of being in a primeval forest.

Former pasture land

The coniferous forest has arisen spontaneously on land that was previously pasture. It has then been allowed to develop freely, creating important habitats for plants and animals that were neglected in the cultural forest (forest created by forest cultivation). Cavity-nesting birds in particular thrive in the coniferous forest, and some of the species found here include the skylark, green wren and great and lesser spotted woodpecker.

Exciting and unusual lichens

The old beech forest has an interesting and valuable lichen flora. Many of the reserve's red-listed lichens can be found on beech tree stumps, including red leprechaun lichen, pink lichen, noble crown lichen, beech edge lichen, beech spring lichen and orange-powdered scribble lichen.

Storm-felled forest

On January 8, 2005, storm Gudrun ravaged southern Sweden. The forest in Berg was also affected. The storm-felled trees within the nature reserve have been left as they are for nature conservation reasons. The dead wood and other structures in the storm-affected forest provide new and important habitats for many species. Be aware that it can be dangerous to go near the rootwads.

Trails in the reserve

The wilderness trail is a trail that runs through Kålabro, Skogen, Bergs naturskog and Boa as well as in several private areas. It is a total of about 12 km but can be divided into two trail halves of 6 km each. Parking for those who want to walk on the trail is available in the Forest Nature Reserve, see directions under the heading "Find here" on the website about the Forest.

You can also drive past Skogens parking lot and there you take the next road to the left. Follow this to the end where there is a turnaround that you can stand at. It is important to keep well to the edges so that others can also turn around and make their way. There is also a parking lot at Bergs Naturskog's parking lot, see it under "Find here" below.

There is also a 1.8 km trail in Bergs naturskog.