Skarhult experimental forest

Experimental forest

Skarhult Research Park, located 8 km east of Eslöv in Skåne, is a forestry research park under the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). It was established in 1989 as part of the southern Swedish forest research program and is the southernmost of SLU’s research parks.

Focus on Broadleaved Forests

The research activities at the park focus on the management of broadleaved forests, particularly beech, oak, and ash. The park spans 180 hectares, mostly consisting of productive forest land where long-term experiments are conducted to study forest dynamics, management methods, and the impact of factors such as storms and wildlife browsing.

Forest research has been conducted at Skarhult since 1909, with new experiments continuously being set up. The forest composition has changed over time, with older spruce forests gradually being replaced by broadleaved forests. The park has also been affected by storms, with the most significant damage occurring in 1967.

Operations and Organization

The research park has no buildings and is unmanned. It is managed in coordination with Tönnersjöheden Research Park, and staff from the field station in Simlångsdalen are responsible for its upkeep. The land is owned by Sveaskog AB and forms part of Skarhult Crown Estate.