Norrboda-Kråkans nature reserve

The nature reserve is located in the northernmost part of Gräsö, west of the main road. The forest consists mainly of old, mossy spruce forest of lichen heathland and herb types, as well as rocky pine forest. The field layer in higher, drier areas is dominated by heather, while in moist hollows it is replaced by herb-rich, sometimes calcareous, vegetation including liverwort, wood anemone and daphne. The presence of aspen is locally significant, both older trees and younger successional stages. The area contains land-uplift forest near the sea, swamp mixed forests, pine bogs and small wetlands. Most wetlands are covered with reed and have moss and field vegetation indicating intermediate or rich wetlands. Remnants of old wooden farm buildings and hay barns, as well as several old, pollarded trees; maple, ash, rowan, birch and aspen are cultural remains that testify to the fact that parts of the area previously looked different. Small cultivated fields have been farmed and selective logging and grazing have occurred in the forest. Although the forest biotopes have a past as managed environments, overgrowth has often gone so far that the management-dependent natural values have been replaced by others. The forest has been managed extensively for a long time and certain parts today have old-growth forest characteristics with dead wood and old trees. In some stands there are very old trees with spruces up to 190 years old and pines over 300 years old. The area is also hydrologically interesting because old ditches have become overgrown and the land is beginning to become waterlogged again. Source: The Nature Conservation Register (Swedish Environmental Protection Agency) and OpenStreetMap.