Lillsjön, Djurgården

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For other uses, see Lillsjön.

Remains of Lillsjön in November 2007.

Historical map showing the area in the 17th century. Lillsjön is on top centre.

Lillsjön (Swedish: "Small Lake") is a small, former lake at Norra Djurgården, a rural area in north-eastern central Stockholm, Sweden, forming part of the national city park Ekoparken. Today transformed into a wetland, it is often mentioned as one of the six lakes in the area, the other being: Laduviken, Uggleviken, Isbladskärret, Lappkärret, and Spegeldammen.

Lillsjön used to be a lake connected to other lakes in the area through narrow straits. Through a project sponsored by the World Wide Fund for Nature, water was pumped into the small basin reinforced by new embankments. Reed was also burnt away, and the former lake thus transformed into a shore meadow attracting many birds, starting with Northern Lapwings in March, followed by Common Snipes later in spring. In autumn, many birds rest here on their way south, such as Wood Sandpipers, Common Redshanks, Greenshanks, and Ruffs. ^[1]

The most striking animals at Lillsjön, however, are undoubtedly the Highland cattles residing here from May to October. Not only they are attracting many Stockholmers of all ages, they also have a tremendous impact on the local fauna as they eat the reed and the Tufted Hair-grass and thus preventing these species from taking over the area and allowing space to flowers such as Cowslips and Bitter vetch and birds and insects attracted by water.^[1]