Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest

 

 

Properties - (click here to show/hide)

Naturarvet acquired Svartsundets old-growth forest on Gräsö in the northern Roslagen archipelago in June 2020. In spring 2021, we began contacting neighbors to inquire about the possibility of acquiring additional land in the area. protect Being able to connect a larger contiguous area on the headland outside Söderbodfjärden would provide even greater benefits for biodiversity and create a safe carbon sink for current and future generations.

Initially, our contact attempts did not meet with much success, but in the spring of 2022 we were first contacted by a neighbor who offered us the purchase of 45 ha of the headland out towards Fågelskärsören in the southeast. Independently of the first contact, we were later contacted by a second neighbor, who was initially skeptical but has now changed his mind, and offered to buy 11.5 ha that extends towards Blågrundsfjärden in the northeast. Thus, our acquired areas in Söderboda on Gräsö extend from the land west of Svartsundet, across the cape to the northeastern shore and out to the southeastern tip of the cape.

In spring 2023, we got in touch with another property owner and were able to acquire another 23.5 ha. We are humbly grateful that through all the gifts collected and thanks to landowners who want to sell their land, we now have the chance to acquire these three areas. Through property regulation, the contiguous area in Söderboda is now increased from 32 ha to a total of 110 ha.

The forests in the new areas have the same qualities of Svartsundets old-growth forest and has never been clear-cut or otherwise managed using modern methods. There are traces of cultural impact through former forest grazing, overgrown meadows and old timber barns, which also contribute to biodiversity.

 

Nature - (click here to show/hide)

The entire area on the headland outside Söderbodfjärden has high natural values. Almost 100 conservation species, half of which are red-listed, have now been given a protected home in the previously culturally influenced wilderness. See some environmental pictures from our photo blog during our first visit here.

The large amount of dead wood, old trees and the mosaic of several different biotopes offer environments for a wide range of species. Particularly important environments include: 1. pine flatlands with a primeval forest character and associated woody insects, lichens and fungi; 2. swampy areas with mixed coniferous forest; 3. swamp forests (the north's own carbon-eating 'mangrove swamp'), which grow virgin on the soil of overgrown former sea bays.

The new areas also contain marshes and swamps that are home to several protected species. The mosaic of alternating rocky areas and wetter biotopes means that the land is not entirely easy to walk on in some parts, which has also contributed to a more protected environment for wildlife.

Here is a list of conservation species recorded so far:

 

Climate - (click here to show/hide)

An added bonus of Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest is its location in eastern Svealand, where soil carbon sequestration is the highest in the country. In the alpine meadows, we have a good idea of how much CO2 has been sequestered by tree growth over the past 60 years.

Forestry plans from the larger part of Fågelskärsudden and the one we received when we acquired Svartsundets old-growth forest gives a good picture of how much area is now preserved from felling and thinning and how much CO2 can be bound in the different parts of old-growth forest in the future.

Protecting Fågelskärsudden old-growth forest and other similar ancient forests is the most important action we can take to slow down climate change with immediate effect.

 

 

 

The collection

To the Fundraising page

 

 

In June 2022, contracts were signed and deposits paid for both sites. Through the fundraising for Svartsundets old-growth forest and strong fundraising in 2021 and the first half of 2022, we had already collected most of the purchase proceeds. In the spring of 2023, additional land was acquired (Kalvgrundet). The land survey where all acquired property parts were merged was completed in the fall of 2023. Join us and

 

How to get here - (click here to show/hide)

Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest is located on Gräsö, an island at the northern end of Roslagen in Uppsala County. You get there by going to Öregrund and from there by regular free car ferry. Click here for the ferry's timetable and other information.. It is easiest to get to Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest with your own vehicle. By public transportation you can get from Uppsala Central Station with bus 811 (click here for timetable) to Öregrund and from there with bus 854 (click here for timetable) to Norrbacka vägskäl on Gräsö which is located at these coordinates 60.44494, 18.40913 (bus 854 may need to be pre-booked three hours before departure).

The journey from Norrbacka junction is on a private forest road of varying quality. Especially the last stretch is a very rough and stony road that you travel on at your own risk for your means of transportation/vehicle. If you drive a car, you should preferably have four-wheel drive and high ground clearance for the last stretch. Otherwise, park at the latest at these WGS84 decimal coordinates 60.445574, 18.450383. If you want to find a suitable place to pitch a tent for the night, you can enter these WGS84 decimal coordinates as follows 60.431032, 18.461265from where the southeastern part, with its stunning rocky outcrops and ancient pines, is most easily reached by taking a forest road past a holiday home and then following open or overgrown meadows down to the southeast. If you instead follow the forest road further towards Bålgrundsfjärden, you can more easily reach the rocky ground in the center of the area and reach the path along the eastern edge of the marsh east of the rocky ground.
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Click here for a collection map of the areas, where you can see which areas have already been sponsored through previous contributions to Svartsundets old-growth forest . You can also see where the new forest squares and areas in Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest are located. The map will be continuously updated with more information.