Kärne, Naturreservat

The Kärne nature reserve protects a species-rich ancient forest for the future. The soil is alkaline and is home to a rich flora of discerning fungi. The forest is a refuge for a large number of other plants and animals that cannot survive in today's modern forests.

The diversity of the old-growth forest

The forest in Kärne is old and has probably never been clear-cut, but has been managed by harvesting individual trees for firewood or timber. The old-growth forest on the mountain exhibits the typical diversity of natural forests. Although spruce is the dominant tree species, we also find several other species, such as pine, aspen, birch and gray alder. There is also great variation in terms of age, with trees of all ages as well as dead wood in various degrees of decomposition. There is therefore a wide range of different habitats that suit a wide range of animals, plants, fungi, lichens and mosses - species that find it difficult to survive in today's modern forests.

The eldorado of dead wood

Among the species that thrive on old trees and dead wood in this forest are fungi such as the sourdough and spruce shoot, lichens such as noble lichen and aspen yellow lichen, and mosses such as the woodland moss. The old-growth forest is also a haven for many insects, whose larvae feed on dead wood. This in turn attracts woodpeckers and other birds that have insect larvae on their favorite menu. If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the rare three-toed woodpecker with its yellow head.

Exclusive fungal flora

The mountain consists mainly of greenstone, which, like limestone, makes the soil alkaline and particularly fertile. There are many plants and fungi that thrive particularly well, or even require alkaline soil. Many rare fungi grow here in the reserve, such as bread fungus, copper fungus, yellow fungus, lint fungus, grape finger fungus and violet spindle.

Accessibility

Kärne belongs to level 1 in the county administrative board's leveling of the county's nature reserves, which means that the reserve has a wilderness character and lacks outdoor recreation facilities.