Karats-Råvvåive is a huge unprotected sub-alpine wilderness area in the municipality of Jokkmokk, Sweden. The area contains pristine forest, bare mountains, moor with old-growth pine forests, huge mires and large waters.

Granuddenskiftet. Foto: Eva Ydrén

Northern Karats-Råvvåive

The northern parts of Karats-Råvvåive is about 30 square kilometers in size. There, on the mountains Råvvåive and Kuossavaratj, is an area of around 5 square kilometer with virgin forest. The forests are dominated by spruce with segments of old-growth aspen and sallow. On the mountain tops wide areas of flat rock where old ancient pines are growing sparse – for centuries affected by the mountain winds.

Old-growth spruce on Råvvåive Photo: Eva Ydrén

The other parts of the area is a rather fine exemple of old-growth spruce forest. There is a great abundance of standing and lying dead wood. Some old trees were cut in the early 20th century but there are still lots of them.

Old-growth twin pines at Råvvoive

Some 60 hectares were notified for logging in 2009 by a private owner. It has though not been approved by the Swedish Forest Agency – the regeneration in these forests at 500 m above sea level is very low.

Download this map of Northern Karats-Råvvåive

Eastern Karats-RåvvåIve

In the eastern parts there are unprotected old-growth forests by the lakes Pälkasjaure, Tjäkkaure Lekeljaure and the mountain Lekelvare.

Karats-Råvvåive wilderness area with the mountains in the background. Photo: Daniel Rutschman

Eastern Karats-Råvvåive wilderness area

Even though fragmentarization exists there are still large undisturbed areas which never has been clear-cut. The mountain Lekelvare exhibits some 7 square kilometers of old-growth forest. There are planned loggings to made here in 2009. In the slopes there are moist spruce-forests with lots of deciduous trees. On the top of the Lekelvare there are several hundred year old pines that grows on flat rocks. More or less all of Lekelvare is above the sub-alpine zone (where regeneration is low).

Old-Growth pine, Lekelvare Photo: Daniel Rutschman

Around the lakes Pälkasjaure and Täkkaure the forest consists of old pines on heathland. There’s an abundance of old trees and many of them show traces of old forest fires. such a large area with unprotected coherent pineforest with high conservation values is very hard to find in Sweden.

Old-growth forest notified for logging, Lekelvare Photo: Daniel Rutschman

This inventory was made by Nature and Youth Sweden and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation during 2008-2009. The pristine like parts of the area has though been identified in a report by Mats Karström in 1993.

Status: Unprotected
Size: 200 hectares
Landowner: Jukkasjärvi sockenallmänning
Municipality: Kiruna

Paurankivaara is a big mountain with pristine-like pine and spruce forest. The amount of hanging lichens is remarkable and the forest is more or less untouched – possibly because of the low productivity.
17 red-listed species were found in the forest such as: Antrodia infirma (EN), Antrodia primaeva(EN), Laurilia sulcata (VU) & Oligoporus lateritius (VU).

See more at Naturskyddare.se

Status: Unprotected
Land-owner: SCA
Size: >100 ha ha
Municipality: Gällivare

Pristine like pine forest exists at the top of Ratnivaara. The oldest pines are more than 300 years old. The area has got sub-alpine characteristics and contains lots of dead wood. 11 red-listed species were found in the forest such as: Hydnellum gracilipes (EN), Antrodia albobrunnea (VU) & Haploporus odorus (VU)

Read more at Naturskyddare.se. (In Swedish only)