Stolpabergs Naturreservat
Nature reserve near Korsberga
Stolpabergs Naturreservat is one of the nature reserves that closely resembles a primeval forest, yet it is located barely 8 kilometres east of the village of Korsberga in the municipality of Vetlanda Kommun in the middle of Småland.
The nature reserve Stolpabergs Naturreservat protects a 137-hectare area consisting mainly of spruce and pine forest. In the centre rises the name-giving and 290-metre-high Stolpaberg.
Exploring Stolpabergs Naturreservat
A three-kilometre-long circular trail leads you from the parking lot in the north through the entire nature reserve. The path is well marked, but otherwise meanders rather inconspicuously through the moss-covered landscape. Passing various raised bogs such as the Klynnemosse, you almost reach the summit of the Stolpaberg. The peak is covered by an old pine forest, while around it grow mainly spruce, but also birch trees.
The nature reserve is not very well signposted, but the parking lot is easy to find thanks to the coordinates. Nearby is the hamlet of Lemnhult, where you can also discover the church ruins Lemnhults Gamla Kyrka and the small but spectacular nature reserve Helvetets Håla.
Flora & Fauna in Stolpabergs Naturreservat
The nature reserve primarily serves to preserve local biodiversity. This is particularly evident from the various species of moss and lichen that not only cover almost the entire ground, but also wind their way up the tree trunks. The large white-moss (Leucobryum glaucum) is probably the best known of these.
In Stolpaberg, large amounts of deadwood provide a shelter and food source for insects and at the same time ensure a forest with a wilderness character. This in turn attracts birds such as the parrot crossbill (Loxia pytyopsittacus), the red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) and various species of woodpeckers. With a bit of luck you might also spot an Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum).
