Östbjörka naturreservat

Here you can experience a lot in a small area - lush spruce forest rich in flowering herbs, lean pine forest with different flora and cultural remains in the form of old lime kilns. Östbjörka limestone mountain is made up of reef limestone formed by coral animals in the sea that covered the Siljan region about 350 million years ago.

There are plenty of plants here that thrive on all this limestone, such as thistle, witch hazel, violet, spring pea, green clover and dwarf horsetail. In the limestone pine forest growing east of the ravine, you can find the orchid spurge and the small fern lock fern.

Within the reserve there are several ruins of old lime kilns. The art of burning lime reached Sweden in the Middle Ages. Lime was used in mortar, but also in leather preparation and as a fertilizer.