True Skov



True Skov (True Forest) is a 385 ha woodland, west of Skjoldhøjkilen in Aarhus, Denmark.

True Skov is named after the small village of True and forms part of the New Forests of Aarhus. It is a relatively recent afforestation - and the largest within the region of Søhøjlandet -, raised primarily in 1994 on former agricultural fields. New trees are still being planted here occasionally and the forest is planned to cover a total of 650 ha, in the future.

Although located entirely within Aarhus Municipality, True Skov is administered by the State of Denmark.

Nature and facilities
True Skov is primarily a deciduous forest, but with conifers and pines in some sections. Alder, poplar and larch has been planted as nursing trees for the young forest. The forest holds a great variety of species, focussing primarily on native species and a number of bush and shrub species has been planted at the forest edges. A section in the western parts, known as Little America, holds North American tree species exclusively, as part of forestry research and to make the forest more interesting altogether.

A network of pathways cuts through the otherwise dense plantations of True Skov. Motor vehicles are not allowed, but the pathways are used for a range of activities like strolling, horseback trotting, jogging and cross-country skiing in the winter. The north western parts holds a sail plane landing strip and caution is advised here. True Skov has two fenced areas dedicated to exercising dogs. Such areas are known as hundeskove (lit.: dogs-forests) in Denmark and they can be found across the country, often situated close to towns and villages.