Björnlandet National Park

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Björnlandet National Park
Landscape in the Björnlandet National Park
Landscape in the Björnlandet National Park
Björnlandet National Park (Sweden)
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Coordinates: 63 ° 58 ′ 42 ″  N , 18 ° 1 ′ 0 ″  E
Location: Sweden
Next city: Åsele , Umeå
Surface: 11 km²
Founding: 1991
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The Swedish National Park Björnlandet (German: "Bear Country") is located in the Swedish taiga near the town of Fredrika in the municipality of Åsele . It consists of almost untouched jungle , in which one can still find traces of large forest fires. The area is characterized by rugged landslides and a large number of exposed boulders. Parts of the park are used as grazing land for reindeer. The hill country in southern Lapland is covered by seemingly endless forests, but these are increasingly falling victim to modern forestry. The aim of the 1,130 hectare national park established in 1991 is to preserve the largest contiguous coniferous forest in its original state in the Swedish part of Lapland.

geology

The national park is located in a landscape known as "wavy rock terrain". The north is dominated by a mountain range (the highest point is the 550-meter-high Storberget) with rock faces falling vertically towards the south. These rock walls, which can reach heights of up to 70 meters, result from a large number of faults . The granite typical of northern Sweden stands in the summit area . In the southern part there is a valley running from west to east. In a depression in this valley, around 200 meters below the Storberget, in the east of the national park lies Lake Angsjön, which is adjoined by extensive moorland. In the national park, as in large parts of the surrounding landscape, the soil type is dominated by block moraine. So, especially under rockfalls and in deeper valley depressions, numerous isolated or grouped boulders catch the eye. The deeper sinks filled with blocks, so-called block sinks, arise in heavily blocked moraines with a high water table . The coarser material is transported upwards by the frost shift, while the finer material sinks. The block fields under rockfalls are also created by the action of frost: water freezing in crevices and crevices bursts the blocks out of the wall.

climate

The climate in the national park is characterized by cold winters and relatively warm summers. As it lies in the rain shadow of the Skanden, the amount of precipitation is rather low.

flora

The national park is an ecologically extremely valuable relic of the boreal coniferous forest belt . This forest landscape, which is typical for southern and central northern Sweden, is characterized primarily by pine stands and spruce swamp forests. The pine forests in particular are relatively species-poor because of the nutrient-poor subsoil and the harsh climate. Dwarf shrubs such as bilberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus ), bogberry ( Vaccinium uliginosum ) and lingonberry ( Vaccinium vitis-idaea ) predominate in the understory. The Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ) dominates the forests of Björnlandet. Since there have been no forest fires for a long time, the spruce ( Picea abies ) is beginning to displace the Scots pine in more and more places, especially in depressions, stream valleys and on northern slopes. While the Scots pine has a certain resistance to fire due to its thick bark (many charred stumps and living Scots pines with brand marks can be found in the national park), the spruce could only survive in so-called fire refuge. In some places there are also deciduous trees such as silver birch ( Betula pendula ), downy birch ( Betula pubescens ) and gray alder ( Alnus incana ) in the coniferous forest. The spruce swamp forests in the national park deserve special attention. The ground vegetation is dominated by moisture-loving herbs such as the shadow flower ( Maianthemum bifolium ) and the seven star ( Trientalis europaea ), ferns , horsetail and mosses . Particular mention should be made of the Lapland celandine ( Ranunculus lapponicus ), which is doomed to extinction in large parts of Scandinavia due to the drainage of wetlands. Various beard lichens , especially Alectoria sarmentosa , adorn the trunks and branches of the spruce trees.

On the banks of Angsjön and the rivers and streams of the national park, a layer of herbs has developed similar to that in the spruce swamp forests. Alpine milk lettuce ( Cicerbita alpina ), wood cranesbill ( Geranium sylvaticum ) and true meadowsweet ( Filipendula ulmaria ) are examples .

fauna

The brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) is not a permanent guest in "Bear Country" - contrary to what the name of the national park suggests. Like the lynx ( Lynx lynx ), it only roams the area occasionally. The Eurasian beaver ( Castor fiber ), on the other hand, is completely different - at least its tracks can often be found on the rivers of the national park. Observations will only be possible with luck in the twilight. This also applies to other species, which are typical representatives of the boreal coniferous forests , such as elk ( Alces alces ), squirrels ( Sciurus vulgaris ), mountain hare ( Lepus timidus ) and pine marten ( Martes martes ), but are extremely difficult to observe.

The national park is an excellent point to follow the courtship of the capercaillie ( Tetrao urogallus ) at the end of April / beginning of May , as it still has a stable population of this species, which is endangered in large parts of Europe. The most common songbirds are mountain finch ( Fringilla montifringilla ), chaffinch ( Fringilla coelebs ), fitis ( Phylloscopus trochilus ) and tree pipit ( Anthus trivialis ). For woodpecker ( Dendrocopos major ), three-toed woodpecker ( Picoides tridactylus ) and black woodpecker ( Dryocopus martius ), the Björnlandet National Park with its countless dead Scots pines and spruces an El Dorado was. Furthermore, hazel grouse ( Bonasa bonasia ), crossbill ( Loxia curvirostra ) and bad luck jay ( Perisoreus infaustus ) are relatively common among the birds . Golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos ) and big buzzard ( Buteo lagopus ) occasionally circle over the national park.

Man in the national park

Apart from the remains of a logger's hut and a horse stable, the national park shows no traces of human settlement. At Angsjöbäcken, the remains of a raft wall and wooden floating barriers can be discovered. Both are indications of a short-term forestry use, which was discontinued in 1952. On the moor meadows at Svärmorsbäcken, Björkbäcken and Angsjön, moor mowing was carried out to a small extent. However, this left no traces. To this day, the area of ​​the national park is used as winter pasture by the reindeer of the Sami community of Vilhelmina norra sameby.

A windbreak in Björnlandet National Park

Tourist notices

You can reach the national park, which is only accessible in the eastern part by a hiking trail to the Björnberget viewpoint, by following the signs to the national park (gravel road) from road 92 (Frederika - Åsele). At Lake Angsjön there is a parking lot with an information board, toilet, windbreak and fireplace. If you want to stay overnight in the park, you should bring a tent. Otherwise, we recommend visiting the national park as a day trip from Åsele. There is a hotel, camping huts and a camp site. From Åsele it is advisable to take the road towards Björna, from Skönvik then follow the signs to the national park (again gravel road).

hikes

In Björnlandet National Park there is only one marked hiking trail from the parking lot at Angsjön to Björnberget. Hiking off the marked path is allowed, but involves many risks due to the countless overgrown boulders.

future

In 2009 the revised "National Park Plan for Sverige" was published. It proposes an extension of the Björnlandet National Park by a total of 475 hectares in two sub-areas. The proposal is based on the fact that the national park would receive a better eastern border that is adapted to natural conditions; a mountain slope visible from afar with valuable primeval forests would be included in the national park, and the size of the relatively small national park would be increased by more than 40% to almost 1,600 hectares. This would significantly increase the biological and representative value of the national park. The steep eastern flank of Björnberget to Flärkån with a height difference of almost 100 meters and a valuable primeval pine forest as well as clear cutting in the south, at the entrance to the national park, were proposed as new areas . It is hoped that this clear-cut will develop into a particularly valuable, multi-layered jungle. At the moment mainly young deciduous trees are growing here - an important stage in the succession of boreal coniferous forests.

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