Plantart

A large portion of southern Öland where I live, is on the UNESCOS World heritage list. The type of nature here is called 'Alvar' and is the largest area of this nature type in the world, some 255 square km. Alvar consists of a flat limestone bedrock with just a thin layer of soil on top of it, 0-4 cm thick, and that means plants have to struggle quite a bit to survive in the wind and the blazing sun. When the sun heats up the limestone bedrock the heat rise and drive away the rainclouds -mostly, so the whole landscape is usually very dry. You'll find plants here that exists nowhere else on earth which means you'll also find quite a few nature lovers spending their holidays wandering around the area. You'll also find guided tours aimed for the rest of us who just wants to have a nice walk learning a plant name or two and get some exercise and fresh air -a lot of it too since there are no trees, at the same time. I joined a group and had a fantastic four hour walk, not very far, only ten km but you stop and look at curious plants all the time and that slows you down quite a lot but makes the experience bigger in turn. We also saw three(!) huge havsörnar (white tailed eagle) quite close. We've had some rain lately so at the moment plants are hurrying to flower, drink, get green and whatever plants do when theres suddenly some water around and everything has to happen in a hurry. On the picture you mostly see Backtimjan (Thymus serpyllum) and Gulmåra (Galium verum) but also wild strawberrys. Such an extraordinary place all year around.