Simris strandängar, Naturreservat

The break between land and sea creates a diversity of environments that are used by many different species. Simri's seashore meadows are home to both hardy seashore plants and hardy orchids. Distinctive coastal birds mix with inland birds, especially during fall and spring migration. In the shoreline, you can also see geologically interesting mudflats, a wavy sandy bottom that was petrified 500 million years ago! The Skåneleden trail follows the beach through Simri's grazed beach meadows and further north towards Simrishamn.

Salt-resistant plants and rare orchids

Beach rye and beach vetch are some of the salt-tolerant plants you can find in the strips of sand and shingle closest to the sea. In the crevices of the rocks, small hardy species such as yellow campion and yellow buttercup grow. Further upland, there are herb-rich dry meadows with bracken, coneflower and bloodwort. The calcareous marshes have an exclusive flora with, among other things, mayweed, hay flower and the very rare orchid yellow saxifrage.

Traces of an ancient beach

The rocks on the shoreline consist of hard sandstone. In the rocks there are large, petrified ripple marks that are over 500 million years old. Wave marks are still formed today and can be studied at the nearest beach, where the movement of the waves creates a striped pattern in the sand closest to the shore, parallel to the beach.

Shrike and rosefinch

In May, the rosefinch sings from the trees and the shrike sits at the top of a bush, watching. Gulls and gulls patrol the shoreline. Birdlife along the coast is rich all year round. In the fall, there are eider flocks and small birds resting in the thickets. In winter, grebes lie in the water outside and mallards forage on the shore, sometimes in the company of the occasional teal.

Open fields

In the 1800s, Simris beach meadows were completely open pasture. Since then it has become partly overgrown with bushes and trees. To benefit the area's special flora, which needs open, grazed land, the thickets of water primrose will be controlled and other trees and shrubs will be kept in check.

Outdoor recreation

The Skåneleden trail passes through Simri's grazed meadows on its way from Simrishamn to Brantevik. Take a look at the 500 million year old wave impact marks in the rock slope on the shoreline. Here in the hard sandstone you can see the petrified wave movements, wave movements that you can also see in today's shallow, soft sandy bottom. Along the Skåneleden trail there is a rest area, which is also close to the reserve's parking lot. Remember to take your rubbish home.

In English

Welcome to Simris Strandängar Nature Reserve

Both seashore plants and rare orchids are found at Simris strandängar. Lyme-grass and sea plantain are some of the salt tolerant plants that grow on the shore. Species rich grassland, with dropwort and common rock-rose, extends beyond the bands of shingle. The marshes contain an exclusive flora including bird's-eye primrose and the very rare fen orchid. There is rich bird life along the coast all year round. In May, common rosefinches sing from the tree groves. Flights of eiders can be seen in the autumn and on the waterside, mallards search for food accompanied by the occasional common teal. The sandstone rocks on the shore displays ripple marks, which are more than 500 million years old. Ripple marks are formed by the movement of waves, in the sand near shore, and the process still goes on today.

Regulations

Within Simris strandängar nature reserve it is forbidden to:

• crack, dig, bore, paint or in other way damage stones, boulders, rock surfaces or land forms,
• carry out any form of construction work or erect objects alien to the reserve,
• break branches, fell or otherways damage living or dead trees or shrubs,
• pick or dig up plants,
• dump garden rubbish,
• bring dogs that are not on a leash,
• ride horses,
• make a fire,
• camp or park caravans, campers or similar,
• drive or park motor vehicles other than on designated roads and parking areas,
• cause disturbance by using radio or other sound system,
• put up notice boards, signs, inscriptions, posters, trail-marking strips or similar.