Nature reserve Skärjån

In Skärjån nature reserve you can walk, fish and experience the cultural history of the area. Or take a break at the barbecue areas and shelters. The footbridges over the river and the forests offer great nature experiences. The area is located west of Axmar Mill and covers 192 hectares.

Valuable for many
Skärjån has a southern character and some species grow here further north than usual. One example is the fern safsa, which grows in the flowing water.

The common tall herbs such as torch flower, meadow foxtail, marsh marigold, sword lily and willowherb grow here. But also the more uncommon and southern species of hemp flag, beach clover and sea buttercup. Olvon and small ash shoots are very common.

Exciting plants
Several species of thorny fungi occur in the riparian forests. The riparian zone consists largely of flat areas. At times they are flooded land with alluvial sediments. There are lush riparian forests with holly, glass birch, ash, aspen and beech, but also younger sections of birch. On aspen and ash you can find species worthy of protection such as coral lead lichen, large aspen tick and skin lichen.

Animals in Skärjån
Rare species live in the river. These are species that are sensitive to pollution or acidification. There are, for example, river pearl mussels and various mayflies. Birds such as the long-tailed tit, grey woodpecker and lesser spotted woodpecker enjoy the deciduous forests. The nature reserve also contains common starlings and three-toed woodpeckers. There are also otters in the area.

Fishing in the area
Fiskekartan.se is the county administrative boards' register of fisheries management areas. The tool is a searchable map and here you can see the boundaries of all Sweden's fisheries management areas. Fishing licences are required in all waters shown on the map. There is also a lot of other information, such as which fish species are present, links to fishing licence sellers and the websites of the associations.

Cultural and historical experiences
People have lived in the area for a long time. There are exciting remains of settlements and charcoal kilns. But also traces of rafting, sawmills and iron production.