Wanås, Naturreservat

The Wanås nature reserve has more than 1100 really big old trees. One of them is the Snapphane Oak, which is among the largest in Skåne. In the unique oak environments live rarities such as the leatherback beetle and the cardinal red rock. But the old trees also provide cavities for bats and wood pigeons. Adjacent to the castle is an exhibition park with works of art. The exhibition park has good accessibility and is a popular destination with an entrance fee.

A core area for large oaks and beeches in Skåne

There are over 1200 large trees in the area around Wanås. More than 1100 of them are inside the nature reserve. One of them is Skåne's fifth largest oak, the Snapphane Oak, which has a circumference of almost 7.5 meters. In the reserve there are alternating oak meadows and natural forest environments. There are plenty of large and dead trees, some still standing, others lying. Many rare plants and animals live in these giant trees.

Tree giants with red coats and leather patches

No fewer than 45 rare and endangered species, known as red-listed species, have been found in Wanås' unique tree environments. The exclusive beetles leatherjacket and cardinal red skirt live here, as well as the box elder. Starlings and wood pigeons nest in larger cavities. A large number of "leatherbacks", bats, also take shelter in these cavities. Wanås is home to 12 of the country's 19 bat species. These include the barbastelle and brown long-eared bat. To further help the inhabitants of the trees, the county administrative board is setting up birdhouses and so-called "mulmholkar". The hollows are filled with oak flour and are intended to mimic the tree flour found inside the cavities of the old oaks. A welcome addition for small insects such as the leatherback beetle.

In some pasture oaks, wood-living fungi such as saffron tick and oxeye mushroom can be seen. In woods and groves, yellowhammer, wood sorrel and ferns grow around your feet. Up in the trees, lesser flycatchers or warblers may fly by or sing a stanza.

Outdoor life

In parts of the area there is an exhibition park with an entrance fee. The exhibition park, with its works of art and good accessibility, makes the area a popular destination. There are also plenty of roads and paths to walk on. Wanås Nature Reserve has been established to protect and preserve the unique oak environments with their very exclusive beetles, bats and other species associated with the stately old trees. Remember to take your rubbish home.

In English

Welcome to Wanås Nature Reserve

At Wanås, man's artwork interacts with nature's own sculptures: the huge, gnarly trees. The Reserve includes the Sculpture Park, which attracts many thousands of visitors each year. Not everyone knows that the area is also unique thanks to the many old oak and beech trees. There are more than a thousand old trees here, which are host to a variety of unusual fungi, lichens, and beetles. The hollows in the trees are also home for birds and bats.

The Reserve is home to the rare hermit beetle. The beetle's larvae develop for three years inside old hollow oak trees filled with wood-mould. Wood-mould looks like crumbly peat and is vital for many of Sweden's most endangered insects.

Hollows with wood-mould are most common in oak and beech when the hard wood has begun to be broken down by wood-living fungi. The trees are usually more than 200 years old by this point. Since old trees are very rare in the modern landscape, the County Administrative Board help by installing wood-mould boxes -additional homes for the wood-living insects. These valuable old trees meanthat within the Sculpture Park and Reserve, there is some risk of falling branches,especially during or after storms. Please be extra vigilant.

Regulations

Within Wanås Nature Reserve it is forbidden to:

• damage living or dead, standing or lying trees,
• pick mosses, lichens, or wood-living fungi.

Without written permission from the County Administrative Board it is also forbidden to:

• collect invertebrates e.g. beetles or molluscs.

Please note that the Sculpture Park is only open during the day, there is a charge to visit, and additional regulations apply here.

Grazing animals are of great importance to Wanås Nature Reserve. With their soft muzzles and hooves, they keep the landscape open and rich in species. So please be considerate - keep your distance, do not leave any litter, and keep your dog on a lead. Remember that grazing animals can also harm your dog.