A botanical treasure in the scenery of the golden age.
Helleroed kaer is a rare and supreme alkaline fen in Struer municipality. 10 years ago tall reed and willow scrub nearly quelled the rare flora. Hence the floral population of 150 species, including rare plants characteristic of alkaline fens such as the marsh helleborine, fairy/purging flax, the marsh grass of Parnassus, quaking grass, the early marsh orchid, the western marsh orchid and more, was endangered. In the 1950s the fen was grazed and reed was harvested, but for decades the fen had been untouched with the great biodiversity of the fen nearly disappearing.
Helleroed Kaer truly resembles a painting of the golden age. The fen is beautifully situated in the characteristic landscape of Limfjorden with cliffs and ravines formed by the meltwater from the ice age surrounding the low marine foreland characterized by marshes dominated by pressure water. Besides alkaline fens you can find petrifying springs, poor fen / transitional bog, reed swamp, Atlantic salt meadow and heaths and grassland on the dry cliffs.
Together we create fine nature
In 2005 the landowners of the fen founded the Nature Preservation Association of Hellerød Kær and in collaboration with the administrative district and municipality preservation was set in motion. Willow scrub was cleared, reed was harvested and grazing cattle was introduced to the fen. In 2012 the Nature Preservation Association of Hellerød Kær borrowed 5 Galloway cows from the municipality. Today a pack of 30 Galloway cattle are grazing the fen during summer – keeping the nature light-open. With a joint effort it was possible to restore a good state of nature in the fen.
Hellerød Kær is a good example of how we can create and preserve our shared nature together, for the benefit of both locals and tourists.
“Sea cows” in the fen
Some areas of Helleroed Kaer are very wet. In the 1950s the many silt trenches of the fen were maintained. This is not the case today and the fen becomes swampier and swampier as nutrient rich surface water is being held back. Thereby influencing the vegetation of the fen negatively.
Furthermore grazing in Helleroed Kaer is very difficult. The cattle have gotten used to sinking in deep some places in the fen, but in other areas of the fen they simple cannot go about – especially the calves have great difficulty moving about in the fen.
A goal for the Life project is to establish proper water levels – for both nature and landowner. This might include altering and dredging of trenches. And the silt trenches of earlier times will possibly be reestablished.