The Huse Nature Reserve combines wet mire areas, woodland, and a rich history of land use. Its features offer different perspectives on the area: from calcicolous species and former grazing to archaeological traces in the vicinity of Huse.
Woodland, mire, and calcicolous species
The western part of the reserve contains wet mires with very calcium-rich water. The woodland includes spruce, pine, and aspen. Calcareous soil and moving groundwater also create conditions for calcicolous species. The nature reserve thus brings together water, soil, and plant life as interconnected natural history themes.
Orchids and rare fungi also grow in the area. Species that can be found there include Kranshaksmossa, BlĂĄ taggsvamp, Vispstarr, and Kransrams. Together with the tree species and mire areas mentioned above, these provide a concrete impression of the range of habitats and species that characterize the nature reserve.
Grazing and traditional haymaking
A historical map from the 1838 Laga skifte land-reallotment records shows that most of the Huse Nature Reserve was used as pasture at the time. In the past, livestock belonging to a fäbod—a Swedish summer-pasture farm—also grazed in the area. The map and the description of livestock keeping offer different insights into the area's former use.
The small mires were also managed in the past: they were mown with a scythe, a practice known as myrslĂĄtter. Earlier grazing made it easier for certain plants and fungi to thrive there. Land use is therefore also part of the area's natural history: alongside the conditions created by calcareous soil and moving groundwater, which favor calcicolous species.
Pitfall traps in the surrounding area
An area with pitfall traps extends up to 15 kilometers across the surroundings of Huse and contains around 350 pits. Pitfall trapping was already used as a hunting method there during the Iron Age. This offers a different perspective on the area's timeline from the 1838 map: the pitfall traps point to Iron Age hunting, while the map shows the land's use as pasture at the time.
Häggenås Church and its predecessor
Today's Häggenås Church was completed in 1837. It was designed by master builder Lars David Geting and architect Samuel Enander of the Överintendentsämbetet. It stands on a slope below the village of Österåsen and offers views across the wooded landscape.
A few hundred meters north of the church are the ruins of its medieval predecessor. They include timber-framed barns and storehouses. This church site therefore reveals two distinct historical periods: the church completed in 1837 and the remains of its medieval predecessor.
Getting there and finding your way
To reach the Huse Nature Reserve, follow the E45 north of Östersund, turn toward Häggenås, and then turn left toward Huse and Grötom. After about 5 kilometers, the reserve is on the right-hand side of the road. As directions may change, check your route before setting out.
Beyond the village of Huse, the road may be closed by a barrier. Take this possibility into account when planning your journey and check the current road conditions. There is an information board in the reserve; the possible road closure should be considered separately.
For the broader travel overview: Lit.
