Gammel skog

Old Forest

A part of the path goes through Prestaksla nature reserve. The area was protected in 2018 to secure a more or less intact forest environment with its biological diversity. There is a substantial difference in height between the lower and the higher part of the nature reserve, something which contributes to a great difference in species. In the south, on the hills down towards the fjord, there are some heat-loving trees such as hazel, elm and ash. There many of the dead trees have been blown down by strong winds. In the north there is old forest with pine trees, aspen, and birch at the top. This variation is typical for natural forest dynamics in Western Norway.

There are a lot of forests in Norway, but only 2,4 % of the trees are really old, i.e. older than 160 years.

Old forests are trees that have not been cut down, but that have died naturally of illness, insects, storms or simply of old age. This environment is the biotope of several species of many animals, plants and fungi. Many of them are endangered. Old and dead trees give life to a great number of insects, which then provide food for birds.