Nature Reserve Fräkensjömyrarna Here you can walk for days through a landscape completely dominated by the sound and shape of the wild nature. In the springtime you can hear the cry of European golden plover, crane and red-throated diver over the marshes and at night you can hear the ural owl. On the boarder between Värmland and Dalarna Fräkensjömyrarnas large bog complexs stretches out over nearly 30 square kilometers. Almost two-thirds of the surface is protected as a nature reserve as of 2001. The nature reserve was formed to preserve a natural area and its valuable bog complex, forest vegetation hydrology, biological diversity and the areas wildlife character. The area is included in the European Unions network for valuable nature, Natura 2000.
The pine forests of Fräkensjömyrarna carries traces of older forest fires. Many plants and animals thrives in the sparse, sun-heated pine forest after a forest fire, and for some of them a forest fire is even a must to survive. Länsstyrelsen make nature care firings as part of maintaining this nature reserve. More information can be found here: https://www.lansstyrelsen.se/varmland/natur-och-landsbygd/skyddad-natur/naturvardsbranningar/frakensjomyrarna---hagfors-kommun.html
Animals and plants: Mires of different kinds stretch out in diverse passages between the long stretched north-southgoing moraine ridges. Ground water affected marshes alternate with poor arched bogs who only gain nourishment from precipitation. Most common is the northern embossed so called aapamyr which sometimes develops beautiful systems of shrubs and grassy strands between steps of dark waterfilled flarks. In the poorer parts you can find species such as few-florwered sedge, rannoch-rush, white-beak sedge and Great sundew. In the richer parts you will find species such as sundew, broad-leaved cottongrass, brown-beak sedge, bog orchid, narrow-leaved marsh-orchid, lesser clubmoss and Scottish asphodel. The Scottish asphodel is noted to grow in the southernmost known area.
The bird population in the area has several norland elements. Greenshank, Sandpiper, Three-toed Woodpecker and Ural Owl is known to breed here. Also Short-eared Owl, Great Grey Shrike and Whimbrel has been sighted here during the breeding period. The population of Western Capercaillie is relatively strong here. Several norland butterflies are known from here such as the northern grizzled skipper and the Checkered Skipper. Bear, Lynx and wolf has been seen in the area.
Culture:
A long history of human presence can be found in the area despite the air of wilderness. In the early 1600s the woodlands were colonised by many immigrated Finns. They set up burned woodlands in the forest and used the marshes for mowing as well as grazing. The iron industry came here in the 1700s and large quantities of forest were turned into charcoal by charcoal-burners, within a "charcoal-mile" from the hammers by lake Uppämten. Only in the 1800s the rough timber forest came of interest and the giant trees of the natural forests fell by ax and tail.
Directions:
Location: Hagfors municipality, about 18 km east of Hagfors. From Hagfors via Geijersholm. Turn towards Gustavsfors. At a Y-intersection before gustavsfors, turn right towards Laggåsen. After the village of Laggåsen offers a sign "Fräkensjömyrarna 5 km", then follow the wooden signs at every intersection until the parking lot.
Facilities:
Both Valpleden at 4.5 km and the longer Alpha Trail at 10.5 km takes you through woods, over wetlands and past lakes. Rest area and information information is available at the parking lot in the southern part of the reserve.
Regulations:
In the reserve, it is prohibited to:
• damage or remove natural objects or building.
• pick or dig up the vascular plants, mosses, lichens, mushrooms or wood.
• remove trees or shrubs, including the dead wood. Only the twigs and branches from the ground may be taken for firewood.
• capture or harm mammals, birds or frogs and reptiles, as well as to damage their stay and play areas or take eggs, catching insects or other invertebrates.
• perform off-road motor vehicles other than those for the removal of shooted moose
• drive a car other than the franchised routes
• bring unleased pets
• set plate, signs or similar
• without permission from the County Administrative Board to organise competition (e.g. orientation) or similar activities that could cause wear on soil and vegetation.
Facts Formed: 2001
Size: 1777 hectares
Land Owners: The State
Managers: County Administrative Board Of Värmland
Fräkensjömyrarna
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Från Hagfors via Geijersholm; sväng vänster mot Gustavsfors. Vid en Y-korsning innan Gustavsfors svänger du höger mot Laggåsen. Efter byn laggåsen finns skylten - Fräkensjömyrarna 5 km. Följ därefter träskyltarna i varje vägkorsning fram till parkeringen.
