The Old Gravel forest in Nysum

We acquired the Old Gravel forest in Nysum in December 2023. It is an old gravel pit located in Northern Jutland about 30 kilometers south of Aalborg, Denmark’s 4th largest city.

The area was previously a gravel pit, and thus, the soil is very gravelly and sandy. When the gravel pit was closed down, the site was re-established with a layer of soil, as heavy machinery had been working in the area, damaging the soil. Before we can do any planting in the area, we have to carefully prepare the soil. However, once the soil is prepped, it has a high potential for both sustainable forestry and biodiversity.
The area is quite hilly with slopes, but is favourable for creating a beautiful and interesting forest with different heights.
There is a smaller area (9.8 ha.) of the parcel with Christmas trees that will have to be cut in order to replant a more mixed-species forest. There is another area with old and overgrown Christmas trees, which will be preserved to create a forest climate when we plant new young trees in the gaps.
We are planning to plant the first trees in the remaining area in the spring of 2024, where we will plant Sessile oak, Beech, Douglas fir, Linden, Birch, and Sycamore maple. We will plant a large variety of species to ensure the robustness and resilience of the forest.

A gravel pit is not a haven for biodiversity, on the contrary, as heavy machinery has been working on the ground damaging the soil. Thus, we will need to establish a baseline for biodiversity by creating an inventory of the current plant and animal species present and then evaluate the development of the biodiversity during and after the first plantations.
A stream runs through the corner of the forest, which we want to preserve and possibly restore. There are also two forest ponds, which we will preserve. These wetlands are important habitants for a wide range of flora and fauna, and will help improve the forest’s ecosystem.
An area of the parcel has overmature Christmas trees, which cannot be harvested but are excellent for to create a healthy forest climate with gaps for new young trees and for biodiversity to flourish.