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© Samiskt Informationscentrum |
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| The forest |   |
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The forest provides protection for animals and people, as well as fuel and timber for building a home. People can live well in the forest, even during a cold winter. Trees started to spread into Sweden 9,000 years ago, when the inland ice retreated. The tree that followed the edge of the ice most closely was the birch. The pine entered Sweden from the south 8,000 years ago, while the spruce did not appear from Finland until 3,000 years ago. In northern Sweden, birch trees form the boundary with the bare mountain region above the tree line. Conifers cover large parts of Sweden, and in the far north they grow up to 350 metres above sea level. Coniferous forests that experience real winters in the Northern Hemisphere are known as taiga, and Sweden's northern coniferous region is a western offshoot of the taiga. The taiga requires a strategy The taiga region has a limited number of species and few tree types, and the animals that live there all year round have to survive long winters with snow and cold. The animals have different strategies for surviving the winter climate: some move to warmer locations, some hibernate during the cold period, some change to a warm winter coat and some change food. Most animals give birth to their young in the spring, so that they have the warm summer in which to grow. The Siberian jay is a typical coniferous forest bird, which hatches its young when the snow is still lying on the ground. When the summer arrives, the young have to learn quickly how to be an adult. The young Siberian jays are then equipped to face the next winter. Reindeer happy Reindeer can be found throughout the taiga, and their presence there has created the opportunity for people to colonise areas with long, cold winters. Reindeer still provide food, clothes and materials for everyday items for people who live in cold climates. There are ten forest samebys in Sweden. The forest samebys' reindeer do not migrate up to the mountains in the summer, but remain in the forested areas all year round. Senast ändrad: 2006-11-15 |
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