Secrets of the Forest

In the heart of Draved Forest, where the paths branch off like life's own roads, stands a majestic oak tree whose branches reach out into the mists of history. This tree, planted back in 1642, is a living testimony of a time when the treasures of the forest were guarded for the use of future fleets. Its crooked branches were once destined to form the skeleton of proud warships, but fate would have it become a monument to nature's steadfast steadfastness rather than a pawn in man's game of war.

Called the "forest jar" for its dominant presence, this tree lives in symbiosis with its surroundings, although modern forestry often sees it as a challenge. Its roots, an underground network of life, tell a story of coexistence and survival in an ever-changing world.

In the corner of the forest, by Den Smadrede Vej, another creature of green splendor thrives – the largest hawthorn in Draved. Every year it is carefully trimmed so that it can stretch towards the sky at a height of 10 meters, a living sculpture adorned with soft, round leaves high up, inaccessible to the game of the forest.

Draved Forest is also home to the rare small-leaved linden, a survivor from a bygone era that has survived through the millennia. In a corner of the forest known as Section 386, a single specimen of this species unfolds, surrounded by the prying eyes of science. Here, in this gene bank, seeds are collected as testimony to a legacy that refuses to be forgotten.

Ward 386 itself is a scientific mecca, a holy grail for researchers who delve into the depths of the forest to uncover the secrets of pollen, insects, and tree species. The area's former enclosure testifies to a time when man and nature were kept separate for the sake of science.

Alongside the scientific studies lies the historic Den Smadrede Vej, a mosaic of narratives bound together by the remnants of a city in change. And not far away, Kongens Mose and Gråbjerg Mose, vast wetlands that have begun to recover their original state after centuries of human intervention.

Teltkroen and Frederiksgård each tell their own story about life at the edge of the forest, about inns that closed and farms that stand like bastions against the test of time. And in the middle of this landscape of stories, six noble firs stand as sentinels, steadfast witnesses to the rage of storms and the passage of time.

In the north-west corner of the forest, you will find the Svedjestykket, a piece of living history, where the agricultural methods of the past rise from the ground, and where oak stumps, shaped by stone axes, stand as monuments to man's early striving for dominance over nature.

Dravedhus, with its dramatic history, stands as a witness to the human dramas that have unfolded at the heart of the forest. Every corner of Draved Skov is a story, a chapter in an infinite book, where nature itself is the author. And as we wander through its pages, we are reminded that we are both readers and co-creators in this eternal story.

Forest Fauna and Flora

Draved Skov is a natural area rich in biodiversity, offering a fascinating world of fauna and flora. The forest's old trees and abundant dead wood create the perfect habitat for over 1000 species of insects and spiders, making the area a hotspot for small animal diversity. This diverse forest image is further supported by the 198 registered bird species, including 113 breeding bird species, which places Kongens Mose and Draved Skov among the country's most species-rich localities for breeding birds.

The acoustic background in the forest is often dominated by the tactful pecking of woodpeckers, from green, black and flag woodpeckers, all of which are represented in the forest. The great horned owl, with its impressive size and silent hunting at night, as well as the raven, which builds gigantic nests in the treetops, add further depth to the forest's rich wildlife. Kongens Mose offers sightings of wild game, cranes, as well as a multitude of ducks and swans, making the area an excellent place for bird watching and nature research.

On the plants front, Draved Skov is Denmark's largest continuous area of untouched forest, where you can experience how Danish forests looked thousands of years ago. This natural area, rich in diverse forest types from swamp forest to raised bogs, is home to a multitude of tree species in a natural distribution pattern, including rarities such as the small-leaved linden. Ivy, holly, and the characteristic barrel mushroom, which was historically used as a primitive lighter, are just some of the plant species that contribute to the forest's unique flora.

Draved Forest is a living laboratory for nature research and an inexhaustible source of nature experiences, where every tree, every animal and every plant tells a story about the interaction between life forms through the ages.