Common sense in Åsnen's nature
Visiting nature is all about respect, towards animals and the environment, of course, but also towards other visitors and landowners.
Camping
The Åsnen area environment is sensitive. Stick to constructed and natural campsites found adjacent to cycling and canoe routes. Several of these offer access to wind shelters, dry toilets and firewood for a small fee of 50 SEK which is collected by rangers or to be put in a box. You can also buy camping cheques (e.g. at Getnö Gård Lake Åsnen Resort) that you use for payment for your overnight stay at the wind shelters.
Campsites in the Åsnen area are marked out on the ”Map of the Åsnen area” which is available to buy at the local tourist offices.
Camper van
If you are travelling by camper van, you should only use campsites in the Åsnen area for overnight stays. This is kindest on nature. Note that parking overnight in the national park car parks is strictly prohibited.
Do not use drones
We strongly advise against using drones in the Åsnen area. There is a high risk that you will disturb the lakes’ sensitive bird life. In the national park, drones must not take off or land. Other special rules apply. See Transportstyrelsen.
Bird protection and prohibited access
Åsnen has many bird protection areas, and areas in the nature reserves and national park where access is prohibited. Clear signs indicate what applies. Yellow signs mean that it is prohibited to enter the area. Yellow and red signs indicate that access is also prohibited to the surrounding water. All bird protection areas and access prohibitions are also marked on the ”Map of the Åsnen Area”.
Also act with care and caution towards Åsnen’s fauna outside the protected areas. Mere minutes in the wrong place risk spoiling the breeding for black-throated divers, ospreys and other sensitive species. Always leave places where breeding birds warn or protest your presence. If you canoe, stick to the Värendsleden route as much as possible. Be wary of birds to avoid disturbing breeding if you go ashore or stop to fish.
Åsnentillsynen
Park rangers from Åsnentillsynen patrol the lake to guard it and help visitors, informing them about relevant rules and regulations and check fishing licenses. Rangers are on duty mainly in summer, reachable by phone: +46 (0)70-202 22 51.
Beware of the fringed water lily
The fringed water lily (Nymphoides peltata) is a foreign invasive water plant which can cover large areas of the water surface and outcompete native aquatic plants. This in turn causes altered habitats in the water which affects aquatic animals. Fringed water lily also has a negative impact on birdlife, making it difficult for the birds to find food in the water.
We can all help prevent the spread of the fringed water lily. As a general precaution, avoid areas where fringed water lily is present when spending time on the lake or along its shoreline.
- Do not travel by motorboat or canoe through, or in close proximity to, colonies of floating heart. Detached plant fragments can drift away and establish new colonies further downstream.
- Do not fish in or near stands of floating heart. Do not swim in these areas, as the dense vegetation can pose a safety risk.
- Floating heart must not be spread to other lakes or watercourses. Do not move the plant, and take care when transferring boats, canoes, fishing equipment, or other gear from waters where floating heart occurs to other water bodies. Clean all equipment thoroughly to ensure that no plant fragments are carried to new locations.
- If you have floating heart in your garden pond, it must not be transferred to other water bodies. Contact the County Administrative Board of Kronoberg if you would like advice or assistance on controlling the plant.
- Stay alert for new occurrences and report them to the County Administrative Board.
Rules for invasive species
Invasive species, that is, species that humans have introduced from their natural habitat to a new area, pose a threat to our natural environment. fringed water lily (Nymphoides peltata) is one such species. Other examples include Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), garden lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus), Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), and Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa).
To protect the unique natural environment of Åsnen, it is of the utmost importance not to spread these plants through cultivation or by any other means that could allow them to escape into the environment.
Since May 2026, stricter legal prohibitions have applied to certain designated invasive plant and animal species. Read more about the different species on the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s information pages.
Protected species
The right of public access gives us the opportunity to do a lot, e.g. to be able to pick that lovely bouquet of wildflowers. But do you know which flowers are okay to take home? And that magnificent lichen on the tree trunk – well, we may not be allowed to touch it! We have about 50,000 known plant and animal species in Sweden, almost 600 are protected. Find out which species are protected, you will find the entire list here!
Keep in mind that in the national park and in nature reserves there may also be other rules.
