A few years ago, a section of the forest that hosts our beloved “Forest Walk” — one of the estate’s most cherished attractions — was struck by a bark beetle infestation. Much of the towering woodland, under which tens of thousands of visitors had once wandered among sculptures, was lost.
Rather than following the usual response — cutting it all down — we chose a different path: to embrace biodiversity, and to do it with urgency. With support from the Swedish Forest Agency, we designated the affected area as a conservation zone. Then we got to work.
By January 2023, we had planted close to 2,000 trees of various native species and sizes: alder, linden, rowan, maple, elm, ash, birch, goat willow, oak, wild apple, bird cherry, hazel, beech, whitebeam, and aspen. Virtually every deciduous tree native to Sweden now has a home here. Most of the saplings were gathered by hand from nearby woodlands to preserve local genetics. Some larger trees — with root balls weighing over 100 kilos — were moved into the forest manually by volunteers, completely avoiding damage from heavy machinery.
To keep the forest paths and two small visitor cabins safe, we removed a small number of dead spruces and, with the help of arborists, topped wind-exposed trees while leaving the trunks standing as tall as possible — some now among the highest habitat stumps in the country. No deadwood from the infestation has been removed. Branches and logs have been placed to encourage insect life or fungal growth, and in some cases repurposed as benches or footbridges across wet areas. Others have been turned into sculptures, left to weather and decay naturally. Most dead trees remain untouched, offering nesting sites for insects and foraging grounds for breeding birds.
Astonishingly, in the very first year after the beetle outbreak, both the three-toed woodpecker and the great grey owl were seen and heard in the area — for the first time ever.
To boost soil moisture and support the shift from coniferous to deciduous forest, we’ve brought in moss-covered deadwood from surrounding parcels, along with tons of fallen leaves. A storm-damaged clearing has also been turned into a conservation site, where we’ve focused not only on trees but also on planting larger flowering herbs and glade plants. Among these, we’re trialing foxglove, mullein, bellflowers, scabious, carnations, and mint — all to support pollinating insects.
Most of the logging and wood transport in the area has been done with horse power, with only light machinery used on the fringes.
We’ve also hand-dug a large pond and water mirror in a naturally damp area, where we've planted bog arum and marsh trefoil. The result? Fresh drinking water for large mammals and countless birds. Frogs, toads, and dragonflies have already moved in — and in the summer of 2022, both great and smooth newts appeared.
We’ve installed hundreds of birdhouses, insect hotels, small mammal shelters, and custom-designed perches on tall stumps for birds of prey and owls. The response from the surrounding wildlife has been extraordinary. The three-toed woodpecker, black woodpecker, lesser spotted woodpecker, and owls of every kind have made their approval heard loud and clear.
Their enthusiastic return has filled us with renewed hope — for the future, and for the deeper purpose behind it all.