Rölabackarna, Naturreservat

Rölabackarna is located 5 km north of Lövestad. Here you are met by a small-scale agricultural landscape. In the now grazed old field patches there are plenty of stone walls, large stone cairns and an old stone cellar. The hilly land also contains fields of juniper, hay meadows, areas of deciduous forest and a rich marsh. Djurrödsbäcken meanders to the north and west. Further down in the clean watercourse lives the sensitive thick-shelled mussel.

Treeless pasture when the Alum Mill needed fuel

The area has historically been a wooded outfield that was grazed. During the 18th century, the area became increasingly open and treeless when Alunbruket in Andrarum needed a lot of fuel. During the 19th century, parts of the land were cultivated and cultivation continued during the 20th century. Large parts of what used to be arable land have not been ploughed or fertilized in the 2000s, and are now managed as hay meadows or pastures.

Meadow flowers, butterflies and old oaks

Several free-standing and wide-crowned old oaks remain in the pastures, which today also have a rich shrub layer with juniper, hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, rosehip and olive. In the open fields, there are pinkish-purple flowers of thyme, cornflowers, ground thistle and heather. Here and there, the yellow of the yellow poppy and the white of the marsh willowherb, buckwheat and small-leaved waterwort shine. In some places, small pale blue peas and bluebells stand out.

The area is also rich in insects. The meadow plants and flowering shrubs attract butterflies and other pollinating insects. Several of them are rare and on the Red List of Threatened Species. Examples of rare butterflies include the bumblebee moth, the purple-bordered fritillary and the six-spotted fritillary. Various beetles and lichens live in and on the old oaks.

Just southwest of the Oremöllan farm is a rich fen with many species that have adapted to the calcareous environment. Mosses such as limestone spring moss and scorpion moss grow here. Other species favoring limestone are beaked sedge, hay flower, corn cockle, corn vetch and sedge.

Outdoor life

Parking is available on the neighboring property Heinge strövområde. Skåneleden also runs here. From Heinge strövområde you can enter the reserve from the south. The area has no paths but it is easy to walk and there are gate holes between the pockets. It can be wet so wear good shoes or boots. There are plans to build a bridge / footbridge over Djurrödsbäcken to get an easier entrance to the reserve. Remember to take your rubbish home.