Naturarvet signed a contract on Ullersjöbäckens old-growth forest on the eastern shore of Stor-Blåsjön in Strömsund municipality, Jämtland, in June and received access and title deed in the autumn of 2022. The property of 264 ha is well connected with the shore towards Stor-Blåsjön and extends up to the tree line towards Rödfjället.

170 ha of the area is old natural forest. The entire property has been assessed as worthy of protection. Along the slope down from the mountain, smaller marshes also stretch out and open up the landscape. Along the slope, four mountain streams of a total of 9 km flow through the property, of which Ullersjöbäcken is the largest with a swirling (multi-branched) stream channel that ends with three outlets in Stor-Blåsjön in the northern part of the property.

We are humbly grateful that this property was for sale and that we have also received several large gifts that made it possible to acquire the property. Watch a drone movie of the property on our youtube channel here.

Ullersjöbäckens old-growth forest is located at the eastern end of Frostviken - a hotspot for high nature values. The property contains old natural mountain forest with bogs between the forest areas. Higher up on the mountain, a small area of bare rock is included in the property. The entire property and large areas around it are more or less untouched, except for a small power line that has been drawn a bit up from Stor-Blåsjön. Cross-country skiing is prohibited on the entire property, so the forest above the power line is without trails or snowmobile tracks. Along the lake there is a traditionally maintained path from Ankarede down to the forest road that leads to the pond at the southern end of Lill-Blåsjön. From Ankarede there is also a hiking trail and a snowmobile trail up over the mountain areas east of the property. Along the hiking trail is Rödfjällsstugan for simple overnight stays with a view of Ullersjön.

The large amount of dead wood, old trees and the mosaic of several different biotopes from the shore of Stora Blåsjön up to the bare mountain offer environments for a wide range of species. Particularly important environments are e.g.: 1. pine flatlands with primeval forest character and associated woody insects, lichens and fungi; 2. swampy areas with large-dominated mixed coniferous forest where several passerines such as tits and thrushes thrive; 3. bogs with overflowing stream channels where open and constantly moist soil creates conditions for vascular plants such as orchids; 4. mountain birch forest and bare rock in a folded mountain area, where the soil due to the rocks can be toxic for many species and therefore provides space for more tolerant species.

No documentation of species has previously been made on the property except for an inventory of dragonflies in the 1980s. During a short visit to the property at the end of August 2022, which unfortunately had to be canceled due to covid-19, a number of interesting species were found (threat status on the red list with red letters):

• Arctic fox Vulpes lagopus EN
• Forest hare Lepus timidus NT
• Common murre Gavia stellata NT (in Blåsjön)
• Sandwich tern Sterna paradisaea Protected
• Drillbit Actitis hypoleucos NT
• Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Extinct
• Blackbird Turdus pilaris NT
• Red-winged blackbird Turdus iliacus NT
• Talltita Poecile montanus NT
• Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus
• Eyebright Moneses uniflora Signal species
• Marsh nettles Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. lapponica Extinct
• Virgin Mary's keys Dactylorhiza maculata Exempt

In an alpine forest, carbon sequestration is about 25% compared to the effective carbon sequestration in e.g. Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest on Gräsö in north-eastern Uppland. At the same time, the area of mountain forest that can be bought for the money is about 400% larger than for Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest. This means, for example, that a forest plot that is 400 square meters in Ullersjäbäckens old-growth forest costs as much and stores as much carbon as a forest plot of 100 square meters in Fågelskärsuddens old-growth forest.

Forestry plans drawn up in connection with the sale of Ullersjöbäckens old-growth forest provide a good picture of how much area is now preserved from felling and thinning and how much CO2 can be sequestered in the various parts of the old-growth forest in the future.

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