Friseboda

Welcome to Friseboda Nature Reserve

For more than 7000 years, people have lived by the sea, lived off fish and cultivated the light, sandy soils. Over time as the woodland was cut, for timber and firewood, problems with drifting sand occurred. Linnaeus recommended planting pine when he visited in 1749 and at the beginning of the 1800s a sparse pine woodland grew up on the sand dunes here at Friseboda. Over the years, the canopy of the woodland grew dense and many of the animals and plants associated with sandy habitats have since had difficulty surviving.

In order to improve the conditions for these species Japanese rose and black pine have been removed to create more open pine woodland and patches with open, warm and sun-exposed sand. Further inland, denser, wetter woodland takes over and continues to provide shelter from the wind and sand.

The pine woodland in the northern part of the reserve has a long history, dating back to the 1600s. The oldest pines are more than 200 years old and the sand dunes are tall. Gnarly pines, rolling hills and a grey-white covering on the ground of lichens and bare sand give the woodland a magical feel.

Sea rocket and sea holly are two of the tough plant species that are able to survive the harsh conditions on the sandy beaches. In the warm sand, the ant lion makes it’s pitfall traps and wolf spiders chases its prey. The nightjar can be heard during tepid summer evenings and the rare and threatened tawny pipit can be seen in the open sand areas. The sandwich tern is a character bird often seen flying over the sea.

Regulations

Within Friseboda Nature Reserve it is forbidden to:

• damage natural objects or formations e.g. scribe in trees,
  
• light a fire other than in designated places or in relation to camp activities approved by the County Administration Board,
  
• park up a caravan, camper van or equivalent in the designated car parks between the hours of 00.00 – 06.00,
  
• dig up plants, pick mosses, lichens or woodliving fungi,
  
• intentionally break or collect and remove or set fire to dead wood,
  
• bring a dog or other pet that is not on a lead and during the period from the 1st May to 30th September take dogs or other pets onto the sandy beach,
  
• ride a bicycle other than on the roads designated for motor vehicles, or specially designated tracks or areas,
  
• horseride other than on roads designated for motor vehicles, or specially designated trails or areas,
  
• park other than in the designated parking places,
  
• undertake orienteering during the breeding period of the tawny pipit (15th April-15th July) within the territories,
  
• drive a motor vehicle,
  
• pull up/moor a boat or equivalent for more than 24 hours,
  
• put up signs, posters, plaques, notices or equivalent items.
  
  Without permission from the County Administrative Board it is also forbidden to:
• collect invertebrates, e.g. beetles or mussels. One off samples may be collected on the condition that this does not contravene any wildlife protection legislation and that traps are not used,
  
• put out so-called geocaches or other foreign objects.
  
  Finally, without the approval of the site manager, it is forbidden to, (with regard to orienteering, consultation with the County Administrative Board is also required):
  
• put out marked trails or organise orienteering events.