Västra Bosjöklosterhalvön, Naturreservat

In Bosjökloster Castle Park there is one of Skåne's oldest oaks, the Millennium Oak, which is thought to be around 600 years old. But the whole area between the Ring Lakes is rich in old oaks. The oaks in the Western Bosjökloster Peninsula Nature Reserve have grown up in what was Bosjökloster's meadowland in the 18th century. Today, unusual lichens, fungi and beetles find a home in the rough bark and decaying wood. The small woodpecker - Höör's municipal bird - thrives in the tangled swamp forest! There is a marked hiking trail and a picnic area with a fire pit at the edge of the lake.

Traces of the people before us

The fertile soil and the proximity to the lake have made the area a sought-after settlement since the Stone Age. Our ancestors have left traces in the form of a river mill, a bowl-shaped rock carving, in a boulder on the edge of the forest at Möllebacken. The land has been farmed by Bosjökloster for several centuries. There were plenty of oak trees on the monastery's land, some of which are still alive today.

The lake that disappeared

In the northern part of the reserve there used to be a small lake, Iglasjö. In the mid-19th century, wetlands were drained and lakes were lowered to get more land for cultivation - Ringsjön became smaller and shallower and Iglasjön disappeared. For a time, peat was mined from the drained lake and from the bog a little to the south.

The lands of the lesser spotted woodpecker

What is now a dense swamp forest was 150 years ago an open hay meadow with a clear view of Lake Ringsjön. The birch is only in place when the meadow is allowed to grow again and today most birch grows here, but also some alder and ash. Insects thrive in the moist forest and with them comes a rich bird life.

In spring, small birds hold a concert in the swamp forest. In May you can listen for the exotic tones of the nightingale. If you are lucky, you may see Sweden's smallest woodpecker, the lesser spotted woodpecker, which likes decaying alder or birch trunks to peck its nest hole in.

Autumn birds and butterflies

In the fall, green woodpeckers can move around in large flocks and eat seeds from alder cones and birch branches. For those interested in butterflies, a walk along the forest road in the northern part of the reserve is recommended. At the turning point, the forest opens up and on warm summer days butterflies and other insects flutter from flower to flower in search of nectar and pollen.

Outdoor life

A suitable starting point is the cemetery in Bosjökloster, which is located along road 23. Either you come here by bus or you drive further into the parking lot inside the cemetery. Here begins the marked hiking trail that goes among old oaks and partly along Västra Ringsjön. At the shore there is a picnic area with a fireplace. Remember to bring charcoal if you are going to barbecue and to take your rubbish home. Combine nature and cultural experiences by visiting the ancient monastery with the 1000-year-old oak (admission) or the old mill along road 23, which now belongs to Kulturen i Lund. In the southern part of the reserve there is a swimming area.

In English

Welcome to Västra Bosjöklosterhalvön Nature Reserve

It is the same oaks which grew up in the Bosjökloster meadows in the 1700s that you can admire today in Västra Bosjökloster Nature Reserve.

Unusual lichens, fungi and beetles find homes in the rough bark and decaying wood. The bushy wet woodland simmers with life. The lesser spotted woodpecker, the symbol of Höör District Council, likes it here.

The fertile soils and proximity to the lake has made this area an attractive place to live since the Stone Age. Our forefathers have left signs of their presence here in the form of an "elf-mill"; a bowlshaped rock carving in a boulder on the edge of the woodland at Möllebacken.

There was once a small lake in the northern part of the reserve; Lake Iglasjö. In the middle of the 1800s, wetlands were drained and lake levels lowered to create more land for cultivation - Lake Ringsjön became smaller and shallower and Lake Iglasjön disappeared.

The area, which today is a dense wet woodland, was an open hay meadow 150 years ago with a view across Lake Ringsjön. Birch is the first tree to colonize when the meadow is abandoned and today birch is most common along with quite a lot of alder and ash. In the humid woodland, there are lots of insects, and with them follows a rich bird life.

Regulations

Within Västra Bosjöklosterhalvön Nature Reserve it is forbidden to:

• damage natural objects or geological formations,
• go ashore at Hägerholmen, or go within 100 meters of the ospreynesting platform, between the 1st of April and 15th of August,
• camp or light a fire other than in the designated places,
• park up a caravan, camper van, or equivalent between midnight and 5am,
• dig up or in any other way damage plants or wood-living fungi,
• intentionally break, collect, or remove dead wood, or use it for lightinga fire,
• intentionally disturb or affect wildlife,
• bring dogs (or other pets) not physically held on a lead,

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

• collect invertebrates, such as beetles or molluscs,
• put up posters, signs, notices, plaques, tape, inscriptions, or equivalent items other than temporarily for nature trails, quizzes, or scavenger hunts.

Wetland project that had to be abandoned due to possible impact on neighboring properties

Since 2017, Lst Skåne has planned for a wetland of about 30 ha in the reserve Västra Bosjöklosterhalvön. The wetland would recreate parts that previously had an open connection with Ringsjön and rewet old peat ditches where there is now forest growing. The forest would slowly die in favor of a unique biotope for plants and animals. In the area is the drained lake Iglasjön. Today, water is pumped out to Lake Ringsjön in the area to keep the land arable.

In March 2024, the County Administrative Board of Skåne announced that the project would not have any significant environmental impact, and the work of writing an EIA and a permit application to the Land and Environment Court continued. In subsequent investigations and further consultations with the drainage company, it became clear that the land north of the wetland could be affected. When such a guarantee could not be provided at a reasonable cost and when an agreement could not be reached with the drainage company, the project had to be abandoned.

The work has included the following investigations in the area;

• Nature value assessment
• Investigation and examination of landfill (former landfill)
• Groundwater measurements with readings over time
• Soil surveys, including sampling of phosphorus levels
• Embankment design, placement and choice of materials
• Cultural environment survey
• Investigation and consultation with ditch company
• Location of new pump
• Geotechnical investigation of the permeability of the road and the impact on the avenue
• Summary of Ring Lake levels over time

The project has received support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (Rural Development Fund). The support has been used for the preparatory studies mentioned above.