Gyetorp, Naturreservat

The Gyetorp coastal reserve is located near Bromölla and is one of Skåne's most species-rich nature areas. Here you will find shrubby coastal meadows grazed by cows, shallow bays with wading birds and limestone-rich marshes and wet meadows with mayflies and orchids. A hiking trail leads from the parking lot to the marsh. Please note that you are not allowed to visit the bird sanctuary on and around Takholmen during March through June.

Coastal landscape that has been grazed for a long time

The nature reserve is located along the northeastern coast of Skåne, with the Tosteberga meadows nature reserve to the south and the Skräbeån estuary to the north. The area is dominated by calcareous seashore meadows that have been grazed for several thousand years. The long-term use has contributed to a particularly rich flora. Today, the area is a mosaic of open and shrubby pastures and old hazel groves. But there are also overgrown shrublands.

About the management

Gyetorp's natural values have been created over centuries in the interaction between grazing animals, humans and the site's conditions with rocky soil and calcareous groundwater.

The ongoing management and restoration is based on the same elements, but with more modern methods. At times, the site can look untidy and visitors may notice machinery or work crews making noise.

• Fencing has been built to make it easier to find the grazing cows among all the bushes and thickets. It also allows some paddocks to be saved so that the valuable flora can flower and set seed before the animals graze them. For birds nesting on the shore, fences also prevent cows from trampling eggs and chicks.
• Shrubs should be abundant, but their numbers have escalated from the mid-20th century to the present day. Therefore, to maintain the flowers, butterflies and other animals that thrive in the area, we need to push them back to a level that was there historically. Digging up or pulling up bushes gives longer-lasting results than clearing, but can look more drastic.
• The flora of the fen needs both a chance to flower and set seed, and the calcareous soil water to be close to the surface for its survival. That's why the animals are only let into the pen after midsummer, we are working on clearing shady bushes and the ditches that drain the marsh will be filled in.

One of Skåne's most species-rich nature areas

Gyetorp is one of Skåne's most valuable nature areas in terms of biodiversity. No less than 4,400 different species have been seen here over the past 25 years. In the grasslands, you can see wood anemone, heather and cowslip. The area is also home to one of Skåne's largest limestone fens, Gyetorpskärret. Here you will instead find mayweed, meadowsweet, grass wool, marsh marigold, honeydew, fly agaric and sedge.

Two unusual fungi have been found in the reserve. These are the chrome waxcap and the leather waxcap. In the drier areas, there are sandy patches that attract sand-dwelling insects such as the hooked-horned moth, as well as the butterflies silver midge and lesser purple loosestrife.

Shallow seabeds teeming with life

In the shallows, meadows of eelgrass spread out. The eelgrass beds act as the sea's own nursery. Small fish and other sea creatures can grow up here in protection. At the same time, there is plenty of food for seabirds.

A particularly rich bird life

Takholmen is an island in the south-eastern part of the reserve. On the island and in its vicinity there is bird protection with a ban on entry from March 1 to July 31. Out on Takholmen there are, among other things, Arctic tern, teal, pintail and eider. The area is also an important resting area for waders such as osprey, ruff, curlew and black woodcock. In the scrubland you can listen to a large number of warblers and perhaps see the colorful rosefinch. In winter, Gyetorp is a very important wintering area for white-tailed eagles, meadow hawks, goshawks, blue harriers and bees.

Outdoor life

The coastal location makes the area interesting for outdoor life. Skåne's only archipelago is located here. At the same time, the rocky beaches and grazed meadows between Åhus and Valje have a completely different character from other stretches of coast in Skåne. The area is also easy to reach with its urban location directly south of Nymölla and only 4 km from Bromölla.

Gyetorpskärret in particular has been visited by botanists for a very long time. There is a small parking lot and a hiking trail to the marsh. Remember to take your trash home.
In the south, the area connects to Tosteberga ängar Link to another website with marked trails and in the northeast there is Lilla Kungsleden which connects Nymölla with Bromölla. For the preservation of the natural values in the area, it is very important that outdoor life takes into account the bird values. Please note in particular that you are not allowed to visit the bird sanctuary on and around Takholmen during March through July.