Quality & management

Earth & Forest

Ericsberg’s productive forest land is 10,300 ha with a credit rating of 8 m³sk/ha per year. The southern and middle part of the property is dominated by spruce with high growth, while the forest on the northern part is dominated by good quality pine.

During the autumn of 2016, 700 ha of fields were harvested. Hästkraft also farms 300 ha of hay. 200 ha is occupied by salix and fallow and own dyke. The pastures are leased out. We mainly grow winter wheat, winter rapeseed, peas and malt grains. The malt grain produced on the farm is sold as whiskey malt to Scottish distilleries.

With the help of investments from the agricultural program, we are now restoring three wetlands on Ericsberg; Öija, Myrkarr and Fräkenstugorna.

In total, it is about 30 hectares, and the aim is to restore the area’s high values ​​for bird life and recreate the bird-rich wetland.

This is achieved by creating a higher water level with an open water table, as well as creating islands and raising surrounding areas.

Our projects

Kvarntorp

With the help of investments from the agricultural program, we have created a slightly smaller wetland at Ericsberg, Kvarntorp. In total, it is about 3.5 hectares each of a water table of about 2.75 hectares. The purpose is to promote biological diversity and improve water quality with a catchment area of ​​approximately 70 hectares. The dam is in a difficult-to-use and low-lying depression in the landscape and it will have a high biological diversity for several different groups of organisms.

The sheep's nose marsh

With the help of investments from the agricultural program, we have created another larger wetland at Ericsberg, Fårnäskärret. In total, it is about 16 hectares each of a water table of about 14.5 hectares.

The purpose is to benefit biological diversity and improve water quality. With a catchment area of ​​approx. 1000 hectares, containing over 200 hectares of arable land, this contributes to capturing phosphorus and nitrogen leakage and improving the water quality in nearby lakes and waters, i.a. Kårtorpasjön.

This wetland will become a sought-after haunt for insects, amphibians, birds and even big game.

Banning

With the help of investments from the agricultural program, we are creating another wetland at Ericsberg, Banningeslätten. In total, it is about 23 hectares, and the purpose is to promote biological diversity and improve water quality. This wetland will become a sought-after location for insects, amphibians, birds and even big game.

Eye

Wetland of approx: 21 ha where the water level is approx: 12.5 ha with the 6 nesting islands which make up approx: 0.8 ha. The catchment area for the wetland is approx: 160 ha

Can be seen from road 52, and it is possible to visit the area on foot via a landscaped road.

Bog marsh

Wetland of approx: 4 ha where the water level is approx: 2.7 ha with 2 nesting islands. The catchment area for the wetland is approx. 80 ha.

The freckle cottages

Wetland of approx.: 5.5 ha where the water table is approx.: 4 ha with 2 nesting islands that make up approx.: 0.8 ha.

The catchment area for the wetland is approx: 100 ha.

Forest

Ericsberg’s productive forest land is 10,300 ha with a credit rating of 8 m³sk/ha per year. The southern and middle part of the property is dominated by spruce with high growth, while the forest on the northern part is dominated by good quality pine. The annual final harvesting area is 100-120 ha.

Through cooperation with the hunting officer regarding hunting, feeding and control of the game, we try to maintain the proportion of pine trees so that the site adaptation is correct. The forestry plan is part of the BESK program and is updated annually to provide a good basis for the right decision. With the help of Heureka, long-term felling calculations have been carried out to see what yield is sustainable from the forest.

Ericsbergs Säteri operates an active and PEFC certified forestry where long-termism and the environment are highly valued. The forest management is handled by John Erlandsson where forest management and felling is done with local contractors.

Naturvårdsbränning Ljusgryten

During the summer of 2020, another measure was carried out within the Forest’s environmental values ​​in the rural program, the European Rural Fund. This time in the form of a conservation burning of 10.5 ha. Environmental burning is part of the PEFC certification standard.

The goal of the conservation burning was to create a layered pine-dominated forest that was affected by fire of varying strength and intensity. The percentage of dead wood has increased because most of the firs have died due to the fire.

In the entire area, the humus cover has decreased significantly to the advantage of fire-friendly fungi and plants, and many trees have received their first sounds of fire. The Sörmlandsleden leads through the area, which allows the public to take part in the burning as an enriching element of the walk.

Restoration of deciduous forest

We have carried out one measure within the environmental values ​​of the forest in the rural program (European Rural Fund). The goal was to recreate the deciduous forest park that is adjacent to the castle and that stretches along Ericsbergssjön and Åkforsån.

The measure aims to benefit and develop the natural values ​​by thinning out and favoring coarse hardwoods, especially oak, beech and linden, and leaving hollow trees of aspen. Throughout the deciduous park, an old path stretches along the water and it is hoped that it will be used again for walking when it is cleared and improved in some places. The thinning also aims to let the light down and give white sedges and beech and hazel a chance, as old photos show it once looked. Wood and rice are removed and driving damage is minimized and restored with an excavator. Future management will consist of clearing up the spread of root shoots from aspen.