Valborg offered extremely early spring in the north

"Valborg offered extremely early spring in the north,"

"the Spring has gone farther north in the country than usual. And compared to 100 years ago, it's extremely early."

"Coltsfoot and hepatica blooming in the whole country except in the far north of the mountains, shows the reports that are streaming in during valborg."

"During the spring festival and the first of may has Vårkollen been implemented for the fifth year in a row. It is a collaboration between the Swedish botanical association and the Swedish university of agricultural sciences (SLU), where the volunteers reported the presence of coltsfoot, hepatica, leaf, willow, birch and bird cherry."

"Moa Pettersson at the Swedish botanical association notes that the interest to participate in the Vårkollen has increased. In the year 8 500 reports from the 1 600 sites come in."

"– Sign of spring is a very dear tradition in this country and it is the six plants that are fairly easy to recognize. That's why we have chosen them."

"Because a similar reporting of the sign of spring was made around the turn of the last century, scientists have been able to compare both with the way it looked over 100 years ago and with the period 2015-2018. And both comparisons have the spring of this year reached exceptionally far north."

"– It is one of the more extreme years. We can surely find some other ones this year, but they're quite unusual, " says Ola Langvall at the Swedish university of agricultural sciences, coordinator of the Swedish fenologinätverket."

"He highlights the häggens flowering as an example."

"– In the previous Vårkollarna we have received only isolated reports that they have begun to flower at the bottom in Skåne so early. Now we see that the bloom is pretty common in Götaland and most of Svealand, but not in Stockholm. Compared with historical data for 100 years ago, it is three weeks earlier."

"Ola Langvall don't want to draw the conclusion that it is climate change that makes that spring is early."

"– That just in the year so early on is a natural variation. If we get a number of years where it gets so early, then we can say that it is a trend. Dare we not do quite yet."

"He believes that the early vårtecknen can give a taste of how we can be affected by climate change. Heating and early spring flowers are welcomed by most, but can also exacerbate the problems for pollenallergiker."

"TT: Shall I rejoice or be troubled by the reports about earlier signs of spring?"

"– Both parts. I rejoice always when the spring flowers will come and the leaves turn out. But it is clear that you are worried about how it will go in the long term, with plants and animals, " says Ola Langvall."

"The early flowering also means increased risk of a setback. The rain and the cold that struck in parts of the country can threaten the flowering and pollination. The result can be bad with the fruit on the trees and berries in the woods, " he points out."

"For the fifth year in a row, the Swedish botanical association and the Swedish university of agricultural sciences (SLU) conducted Vårkollen. Volunteers have reported sightings of coltsfoot, hepatica, leaf, willow, birch and bird cherry."

"Almost 8 500 reports from the 1 600 sites have been analysed by researchers at SLU."

"A similar activity was conducted at the end of 1800 and beginning of 1900-century, which means that the researchers can compare how it looked over 100 years ago."

"Björkarnas lövsprickning has this year begun in the whole country, with the exception of parts of the mountains and the northern Norrland kustband. 100 years ago, it had usually just started in southern sweden on 1 may and the last few years it has reached up to the Mälardalen region."

"the bird-cherry is already in full bloom in large parts of Götaland and Svealand. 100 years ago started the flower in the southernmost part of Skåne at the end of may."

"Coltsfoot and blue anemone has already managed to bloom a bit up in the north, which is only reported up to the Mälardalen region in the past vårkollar."