Nature Reserve in Sodermanland - Sweden, Finland

Welcome rto Stendorren Nature Reserve.

The area consists of around 900 hectares (2,224 acres) of coastal and archipelago landscapes set aside to protect their great natural values and to provide facilities. Stenddorren is also intended to be used as a resource for public education on nature conservation, the environment, and cultural history.

Included in the nature reserve is the area around the fisherman's homestead, Giskar, which is situated one nautical mile from the coast, reached only by boat. The mainland section and nearby islands are accessible on foot. It is possible to walk out to the edge of the open sea, looking out ovee the shipping lane and the horizon via a series of walkways and suspended footbridges. Grilling facilities with firewood, rubbish bins, toilets and wind-shelters are provided in the reserve.  There is also a lookout tower offering views over a large portion of the archipelago.
Marked walking trails of various lenghts d lead to good places to rest.
A special trail is provided for the disabled, and there is an access ramp from the landing dock to the roadway for disabled visitors arriving by boat.
Visitors come to Strndorren all year round for different activities, including fishing, bathing, walking and ice-skating, or just to relax.

Certain regulations apply to all nature reserves. Within the reserve it is forbidden to:

- cause damage to soil, rocks or vegetation
- disturb wildlife
- bring dogs unless on lead#
- disturb others with radios, etc
- light fires other than at the grills provided, alternatively bring your own grill,
- leave rubbish or toilet paper other than in the rubbish containers.
- put up tents, or park caravans or camper vans overnight.

Natural History: The reserve offers a variety of undisturbed natural ecosystems and habitats, including everything from fertile coastal meadows and habitats, including everything from fertile coastal meadows and dense spruce woods to rocky terrain with dwarf pines and reindeer lichen.  the old farmsteads at Aspnaset, Stendorren and Griskar are surrounded by small fields and wooded pastures. The entire nature reserve is influenced by the Baltic sea, rarely more than a stone's throw away. At various times in its history, the waters of the Baltic have alternated between fresh and salty. Today, the baltic is an island sea with brackish water.This enironment produces large populations, although the number of species is not great since few species can tolerate the brackish water.

Plants and Animals:  The species diversity of the reserve is limited, as often the case in coastal landscapes with calcium-poor bedrock. You will, however, find many different plants
characteristic of this environment. marsh labrador tea, wild berries and various species of sphagnum moss are found in the forest. Wavy hair grass, and several species of crustose moss grass grow among the pines in the rocky terrains.
The coastal meadows are home to common centaury strawberry-headed clover and silverweed, and if you continue to the water's edge, you'll encounter saltwort and common valerian.
Qut on the bare ledges you can find chives, yellow stonecrops, wild pansy and sheep's sorrel.
The animal life at Stendorren consists largely of sea birds. Common and artic terns, eider ducks, common and herring gulls, great black-backed gull, common mergansers and oyster catches are frequent visitors to the reserve, Another recurrent sight is that of white-tailed eagles soaring high above the tree- tops. Among the common mammals of the reserve are elk (moose), roe deer, badger and mountain hare.  You are not likely to spot them during daylight hours, but you will see their traces in the reserve.

Geology:  The bedrock of the reserve is 1.8 billion years old, and consists primarily of a reddish gneiss that clearly shows the effects of "kneading" in the transformation process. You will also find fissures in the rocks, filled in with black diabase or with pegmatite, a coarse crystalline granite.
The area is rich in remains from the last inland ice-sheet, which retreated from the area around 10,000 years ago, leaving grooves, gouges, boulders and smooth-worn rock ledges. Also testifying to the glacial past are the raised beaches, These are the remains of moraine deposits left by the glacier, which were then washed by the waves of the sea during the process of land elevation. As a result, the finer material has been washed away, leaving gravel and stones behind.

Cultural History:  The first historical records of the name Stendorren which means "stone door", are found in the Danish nautical reference, Navigato Danico, dating from the 13th century, Stendorren was described as a narrow passage along the fairway known as Valdemarsleden, forming a "doorway" to and from sheltered waters.An inn was located at this spot in the 17th century and seamen were allowed to stay here for up to eight days, waiting for unfavourable winds and weather to abate.
The farm at Aspnaset was established in 1884, as part of Hano Manor.  In the early days of its history,
tenants paid for the leasehold by carrying out day work for the manor.  The same arrangement applied to the fisherman's homestead Stendorren, across the sound at Ekholmen on the island of Krampo. The inhabitants made their living from a combination of farming, transport, fishing, handicrafts, services and other activities - a lifestyle that is still followed today by many permanent residents of the archipelago.

Travel directions:  From European motorway E4, take route 219 to Studsvik, and from there follow signs to Stendorren.

Naturum Stendorren - visitor centre

Naturum Stendorren is a visitor centre in a beautiful setting at the old fishing camp at Aspnaset, near
the heavily -trafficked archipelago fairway. The building is in the shape of an osprey, the signature bird of Sodermanland. Country Naturum Stendorren houses a permanent exhibition, as well as temporary displays relating to the plants, animals, geology, cultural history and the environment of the archipelago and the Baltic Sea. Lectures, guided tours and other activities are conducted throughout the summer both at the visitor centre and nature reserve. Knowledgeable guides provide visitors with information and lead tours of the reserve.  The agricultural landscapes around naturum is kept open by grazing sheep.
There are also some small fields where traditional grain crops and endangered weeds species are grown. Close to narurum you can see boats that were used by the local population during the 19th century.
The idea is to provide visitors with an impression of what it was like to live on an archipelago smallholding which combined farming and fishing.  It isalso possible to see demonstrations of traditionalfarming methods during the season.

Tel:  +46-155-26 31 80

Email:   naturum.stendorren@lanstyrelsen.se
Web:     www.naturumstendorren.se

For additional information:

Sodermanland  County Administrative Board

Tel:   +46 155 26 40 00

Web:   www.lansstyrelsen.se/sodermanland












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