Älvgärde

In Älvgärde you are met by a varied agricultural landscape. Fields and pastures are surrounded by forest edges with old broadleaf trees, hazel groves and mixed coniferous forests with large aspens and other deciduous trees. In spring, bluebells and cowslips bloom under a delicate and bright green foliage and in the fall, the many deciduous trees contribute various shades of yellow and red to the landscape. There are several threatened and rare species here that are linked to the rough deciduous trees on the forest edges. For example, the fungus linden dioecious grows on lying and standing dead lime trees. Other species found in the area are elm lichen, yellow-white spike and aspen feather moss.

There are several mullets in the area. There are occasionally flooded depressions without visible outlets. During the fall and winter, water fills the depressions and then slowly drains away through underground cracks or passages. Around the gullies grow mainly various deciduous trees that can cope with the flooding of the roots and on the trees various mosses and lichens that thrive in high humidity.

In the northern part of the reserve there are two path loops that together are about 2 km. The path passes and also runs partly on a small road through the reserve. It is easy to shorten the hike by choosing to walk the road back to the parking lot. It is also possible to take the road directly to a rest area about 200 m north of the parking lot. On the path between the road and the rest area there is a short, slightly steep hill.