What secrets lie beneath the surface of Stormose? This lake and bog area holds stories of nature and human impact near Borum and Mundelstrup in Aarhus Municipality. It is locally known as Stormosen, Stormose or Stormose v. Mundelstrup.
Stormose is surrounded by diverse landscapes. You can find forests, willow thickets, birch swamps, reedbeds, and grassy meadows here. To the west, Vindskov forest provides shelter. A smaller woodland sits to the east. This mixed deciduous forest adds to the area’s charm.
Time for a quick history lesson. Borum Stormose was formed by peat digging in the 1940s. Locals also call this area Døvmosen. This transformation from a wet meadow to a bog tells a tale of resource use.
The ecological health of Borum Stormose is unfortunately poor. Chlorophyll levels are twice the target for its type. This condition has worsened over the last 10 to 15 years. Sadly, there is likely no bottom vegetation in Stormosen anymore.
Borum Stormose and Vind Skov reside about 11 km west-northwest of Aarhus. Ornithological surveys were archived for years. These early surveys mapped breeding birds in Denmark over a long period. The data on small bird species is valuable. It was collected when pesticide use was relatively low.
Now let’s turn to the landscape. Until the early 1940s, the area was a damp meadow. Spring floods made it much larger. This provided feeding grounds for ducks and wading birds. Then peat extraction began.
An interesting discovery was made in 1942. A 4000-year-old shafted ax was found. It’s mentioned with a picture in Nationalmuseets Arbejdsmark Årbog 1947.
Plans to drain the area failed. By 1945, there were 12 to 14 water-filled peat pits. Erosion has since merged these into one water area. Today, it’s a small lake about 1 km long. It has a maximum width of 250 meters. The name “mose” or bog remains in the place name.
The south side of the Stormose is used by a nearby plant school. There is also a mixed forest with two peat pits. These connect to the main bog via a stream. This stream flows west into Borum Møllebæk.
The north side has the bog’s only inflow. This connects to two or three ponds north of the forest. This inflow often dries up in summer. Most of the water comes from meltwater, rain, and groundwater. Water depth varies from 0.5 to about 4 meters. Birch, willow, reeds, and bulrushes grow along the banks.
Significant changes occurred in the 1970s. The wettest meadows between the bog and forest were cultivated. The plant school now uses the bog for watering. This pumping has lowered the water level.
Imagine the stories this place could tell. From ancient axes to ecological challenges. Borum Stormose is a place where history and nature intertwine. Take a moment to appreciate this unique spot. Remember its past and consider its future.