Varshultamyren, Naturreservat

Here in Varshultamyrens nature reserve you are met by silence and a wilderness feeling. There are no paths here, only the dirt road that crosses the bog. Boots are needed if you don't want to get your feet wet. And there are several swings that you should watch out for.

High bog that has been spared from peat extraction

The open parts of the bog are, typically for raised bogs, arched and slope gently towards a lagg marsh that drains the bog. All the water and almost all the nutrients on the bog come from rain. Most of the bog floor consists of dead and living white moss. Varshultamyren has been spared from peat extraction.

Trees and herbs

Small pines and birches grow on the open, nutrient-poor moss planes, which can be very old. They coexist here with plants such as willowherb, cranberry and cloudberry. Tree growth has been going on for a long time in the lagoons and on the edges of the bog. This is a completely natural process for a bog; more dead wood and dead herbs nourish large trees.

Wings beating and whirring

Many species of birds depend on open moorland and old forest. This applies to our woodland birds such as grouse and wolverine, but also to nightjars and waders. With a bit of luck, you can meet some of these species on Varshultamyren. Several of the birds and their chicks are dependent on a rich insect life, so you should not be sad about the abundance of mosquitoes and flies!

Outdoor life

Parking is available and a dirt road crosses the bog. Watch out for the swings if you go out into the bog. Gungflyn are mats of moss and plants that only float on water. Remember to take your rubbish home.

In English

Welcome to Varshultamyren Nature Reserve

Varshultamyren Nature Reserve meets visitors with silence and with a feeling of wilderness. There are no paths here other than the road which crosses the bog. If you come out with normal boots, you can count on getting your feet wet and there are quagmires to watch out for.

Raised bog plateau

The open parts of the bog are raised in a plateau and slope down to a lagg fen which drains the bog. All of the water and almost all of the nutrients in the bog come from rain. Most of the bog is made up of dead and living sphagnum mosses.

Trees and plants

There are small pines and birch trees growing on the top of the raised bog, which can be very old. They are intermingled with plants such as sundew, cranberry and cloudberry. Trees have been colonizing the edge of the bog over a long period of time. This is a natural process for a bog.

The buzz and beat of wings

Birds such as black grouse and hazel grouse are dependent upon open wetlands and old woodland. This is also true for nightjar and small waders. The birds and their chicks are dependent upon an abundance of insects, so you should be happy about the quantity of mosquitoes and horseflies!

Regulations

Within Varshultamyren Nature Reserve it is forbidden to:

• dig or in any other way damage boulders, stones, exposed bedrock, natural formations or stone walls,
• remove dead wood, break branches, fell or in any other way damage living or dead trees and bushes,
• dig up plants,
• bring dogs or other pets not on a lead,
• drive a motor vehicle other than on roads open for vehicle traffic,
• camp, park up caravans, camper vans or equivalent for longer than one night,
• erect any kind of installation or put out any foreign (for the nature reserve) objects,
• use sound systems, musical instruments or equivalent in a way that is disturbing,
• organize training events or competitions,
• put up signs, posters, plaques, notices, tape or any other equivalent items,
• introduce foreign (for the site) plant or animal species.

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

• collect mosses or lichens,
• trap or collect insects, spiders, snails or other invertebrate animals other than with nets, by hand or other selective methods, with subsequent re-release within the nature reserve. This requirement to re-release the animal does not apply to one-off specimens of each species on the basis that the record is registered in Artportalen and that the collection does not contravene any wildlife protection regulations,