Erola, Naturreservat

Flower-rich hay meadows in Finnskogen.
Erola is a so-called finntorp located on a small hilly southern slope on the northern edge of Bjurberget village. Animal husbandry on the farm ceased in 1952-53, but there have been grazing horses and sheep periodically since then. The pastures and hayfields were then mown annually until the first half of the 1990s. At that time, the land had a high proportion of species favored by grazing. The meadow has a well-preserved structure and consists mainly of hay meadows and former arable land, and there are several large cairns. The former arable land has never been fertilized with chemical or natural fertilizers since the 1950s, which has led to its exhaustion. Parts of the hay meadow started to overgrow in the 1990s, but recent restoration efforts have restored open land.

The farm and buildings are private and not part of the reserve.

The nature reserve was established to conserve, manage, restore and develop biodiversity in a culturally significant area of valuable grassland.

The area is part of the EU's ecological network of protected areas, Natura 2000.

Animals and plants

The high nature values found at Erola are mainly linked to parts of the hay meadows. Long-term grazing has depleted the land and species favored by grazing, such as field gentian, hay flower, meadow rattlesnake and bracken, are abundant. The area is also home to a rich butterfly fauna, including the species meadow metalwing.

Older rowan and willow trees grow at the edge of the arable land and in the copses, which are valuable for insect and bird life, among other things.