Rya Forest
Encyclopedia
The Rya Forest is a nature reserve
in Gothenburg
, Sweden
. It is located on the Hisingen
island, on the northern bank of the Göta River
. It has an area of 17 hectares. Established in 1928, it is the oldest nature reserve in Västra Götaland County
.
The reserve lies in the middle of a busy industrial area, close to oil refineries and the Ryaverket sewage treatment plan. In spite of that, it displays a diverse flora and fauna, typical for a marsh forest, alder
being the most common tree. The age of the trees reaches 200 years, while some of the oaks are a few centuries old. Many species of lichens
, mosses
and fungi have been found. In the spring, the meadows in the reserve are covered with blooming wood anemones
.
The forest houses rare insects, butterflies and beetles. With its many birds, such as the hawfinch
, the tawny owl
, and the Eurasian woodcock
, it has also attracted the interest of ornithologists.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. It is located on the Hisingen
Hisingen
Hisingen is the fourth-largest island of Sweden , with an area of , and the most populous, forming part of Gothenburg Municipality, Västra Götaland County. It is bordered by the Göta älv in the south and east, the Nordre älv in the north, and the Kattegat in the west...
island, on the northern bank of the Göta River
Gota River
The Gota River is a tributary of the Dârjov River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
. It has an area of 17 hectares. Established in 1928, it is the oldest nature reserve in Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
.
The reserve lies in the middle of a busy industrial area, close to oil refineries and the Ryaverket sewage treatment plan. In spite of that, it displays a diverse flora and fauna, typical for a marsh forest, alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
being the most common tree. The age of the trees reaches 200 years, while some of the oaks are a few centuries old. Many species of lichens
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
, mosses
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
and fungi have been found. In the spring, the meadows in the reserve are covered with blooming wood anemones
Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves...
.
The forest houses rare insects, butterflies and beetles. With its many birds, such as the hawfinch
Hawfinch
The Hawfinch, Coccothraustes coccothraustes, is a passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Its closest living relatives are the Evening Grosbeak from North America and the Hooded Grosbeak from Central America especially Mexico.This bird breeds across Europe and temperate Asia...
, the tawny owl
Tawny Owl
The Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is a stocky, medium-sized owl commonly found in woodlands across much of Eurasia. Its underparts are pale with dark streaks, and the upperparts are either brown or grey. Several of the eleven recognised subspecies have both variants...
, and the Eurasian woodcock
Eurasian Woodcock
The Eurasian Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola, is a medium-small wading bird found in temperate and subarctic Eurasia. It has cryptic camouflage to suit its woodland habitat, with reddish-brown upperparts and buff-coloured underparts...
, it has also attracted the interest of ornithologists.