Mollerup Skov (''Mollerup Forest'') is a 97 hectare relatively new forest situated in the northern outskirts of the city of Aarhus,

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

. In the neighbourhood of

Vejlby Vejlby is a north-eastern neighbourhood of Aarhus in Denmark. It is located 5km from the city centre and is administratively part of the district of Risskov. The neighbourhood of Vejlby was administratively merged with Risskov at the end of the ...

and Skejby between Skejbyvej, Langengevej and Skejby Nordlandsvej to be precise. Mollerup Skov is part of the New Forests of Aarhus.

Nature and facilities

The forest consists predominantly of beech,

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

and cherry trees, interrupted by open fields and meadows presenting a view across the valley of Egådalen and the lake of

Egå Engsø Egå Engsø is an artificial lake and wetland site located in the north of the town of Aarhus between Vejlby, Risskov and Lystrup. Engsø means 'meadow lake' and Egå means 'oak stream', referring to the stream that drains the lake into the Aar ...

. The woods are dotted with a number of small ponds, providing a good environment for a rich variety of wildlife. This includes larger mammals such as

roe deer The roe deer (''Capreolus capreolus''), also known as the roe, western roe deer, or European roe, is a species of deer. The male of the species is sometimes referred to as a roebuck. The roe is a small deer, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapt ...

fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

es and hares and birds like

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia ...

, blackbird and

siskin The name siskin when referring to a bird is derived from an adaptation of the German dialect words ''sisschen'', ''zeischen'', which are diminutive forms of Middle High German (''zîsec'') and Middle Low German (''ziseke'', ''sisek'') words, which ...

, with a few predators like

sparrow hawk Sparrowhawk (sometimes sparrow hawk) may refer to several species of small hawk in the genus ''Accipiter''. "Sparrow-hawk" or sparhawk originally referred to ''Accipiter nisus'', now called "Eurasian" or "northern" sparrowhawk to distinguish it f ...

and

buzzard Buzzard is the common name of several species of birds of prey. ''Buteo'' species * Archer's buzzard (''Buteo archeri'') * Augur buzzard (''Buteo augur'') * Broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'') * Common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') * Eastern ...

often spotted in between. The animals are not to be fed. A network of pathways cuts through the plantations of Mollerup Skov. Motor vehicles are not allowed, but the pathways are used for activities like strolling, horseback trotting and jogging. There are two marked routes (red and yellow), approximately 2 km and 3 km respectively. In the south-eastern part there is a fenced

dog park A dog park is a park for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners. Description Dog parks have varying features, although they typically offer a 4' to 6' fence, separate double-gated ...

, dedicated to exercising dogs. Such areas are known as ''hundeskove'' (lit.: dog-forests) in Denmark and they can be found across the country, often situated close to towns and villages.

History

The land was purchased by Aarhus Kommune in the years of 1993-97, as part of the plan ''Aarhus omkranset af skov'' (English: Aarhus surrounded by forest). The plan was begun by the city council in 1988, with the aim of doubling the municipality's forested area by the year 2000 (i.e. 1300 ha). Mollerup Skov is part of the town's nature management program.The new forests of Aarhus - maps and guidance
Aarhus Municipality

References

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Nature and facilities

History

See also

References