Högstrand, Naturreservat

Högstrand is home to a great diversity of both animal and plant species. But it is perhaps above all the magnificent lady’s slipper orchid that attracts visitors.

Biodiversity

The forest in the Högstrand Nature Reserve is calcareous, which supports a diverse flora. Here you can find the wreath-leaved saxifrage and eight species of orchids, as well as the rare lichens Scrofularia and Violet-gray beard lichen.

Most of the area has retained many of the characteristics of a natural forest. For example, there is great variation in both the mix of tree species and the age distribution of the trees. Here and there, you’ll find plenty of dead wood of varying thicknesses and stages of decomposition.

Taken together, this provides excellent conditions for a high diversity of both plant and animal species. The protection of the forest in the Högstrand Nature Reserve is therefore a key part of biodiversity conservation.

Outdoor Recreation

Högstrand is a valuable destination for outdoor recreation, particularly for admiring the cuckoo flower at its only known location in the Västerdalarna region. The site is particularly well-known and frequently visited by local residents. The lady’s slipper orchid site at Högstrand has been known since the early 1800s. The area is listed in the county’s nature conservation program as an area of very high natural value. It recently received renewed attention following the key biotope inventory, which classified parts of the area as key biotopes.

International Classification

The area has been designated by the government as a special protection area and is part of a contiguous ecological network of special conservation areas, Natura 2000.