Färnebofjärden National Park
Färnebofjärden has a jagged river edge and contains more than 200 islands. The ground is flat making the boundary between water and land diffuse. The bird life and number of species is like no other in Sweden – over 100 species breed here regularly, for example many owl species and most species of Swedish woodpeckers.
Sights: The rich birdlife. The special habitats such as riverside meadows, broad flood plains, ancient forest and river rapids. The lookout tower at Skekarsbo.
Area: 10,100 hectares (ca. 24,957 acres), of which 4110 hectares consists of water surface.
Established: 1998.
Location: South of Gysinge, at the juncture of Västmanland, Dalarna and Gävleborg counties.
Photo: Länsstyrelsen i Västmanlands län
The Lower Dalälven River is a natural setting that has no parallel elsewhere in Sweden. Most of its unusual habitats are represented in Färnebofjärden National Park, which swarms with life in a mosaic of riverside fens and meadows, flood plains and ancient forest.
The lower section of the Dalälven River, stretching from the town of Avesta to the Baltic Sea, has a distinctly different character than its upper section. At Färnebofjärden, the river widens out over the broad plains of northern Uppland and southern Gästrikland. Large shallow pools are linked by short stretches of wild rapids.
The powerful spring floods at Tyttbo and Gysinge establish a natural boundary and deepen the impression of wilderness. The periodic flooding strongly influences the natural features of the national park. Due to the level landscape, the flood plain is quite extensive.
The jagged shoreline of Färnebofjärden encloses more than 200 islands and islets. The national park contains a mixture of natural features from both southern and northern Sweden. Here, northern marshlands and evergreen forest meet southern broadleaf forest, including such species as oak and linden. This biological border zone is called Limes Norrlandicus, and provides conditions for a highly diverse plant and animal life.
The birdlife, in particular, displays a variety that is unique for Sweden; over one hundred species nest at Färnebofjärden on a regular basis. Among the birds of the forest, all species of Swedish woodpeckers and many species of owl are present.
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Illustration: Liberkartor, Stockholm
Photo: Alf Linderheim/N