Eifel National Park
Encyclopedia
The Eifel National Park is the 14th national park
in Germany
and the first in North Rhine-Westphalia
.
region between Nideggen
in the north, Gemünd in the south and the Belgian
border in the southwest. The legal decree by the state that lays the foundation for the park has been in force since 1 January 2004. The area covers about 10700 hectares (26,440.3 acre), is bordered to the northwest by the Rur Reservoir and includes the neighbouring Urft Reservoir, the former Vogelsang Military Training Area, but not the Nazi Ordensburg Vogelsang
itself. The terrain of the former military training area run by the Belgian Armed Forces and used by NATO troops, the Dreiborn Plateau, forms about 3300 hectares (8,154.5 acre) of the entire area and has been open to the public since 1 January 2006.
The Eifel National Park protects the wood-rush and beech
woods that flourish in the maritime climate and which have been preserved to this day in parts of the North Eifel
, but which originally covered the entire Eifel region as well as large parts of Central Europe
. An area of 110 sqkm is covered by deciduous and coniferous woods, lakes, streams and open grassland. One large contiguous stretch of forest with a high percentage of beech woods is the region known as the Kermeter. This forested area is accessible and offers a large number of interesting walks. The Eifel National Park is home to over 900 species of endangered animals and plants on the red list. A total of 1,300 species of beetle alone have been discovered in its woods. Amongst the other forms are wildlife in the park are the wildcat
, the black stork
and the wall lizard
which is a rarity in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Thanks to exploitation of the forests, especially for the production of charcoal
, much of the Eifel had been cleared of trees by the early 19th century. It was the Prussians in the 19th century who planted large parts of the Eifel with spruce. The planting of this type of tree was further encouraged after the Second World War. Spruce trees grow faster than many species of deciduous tree and enable more rapid reforestation
. Because, following its designation as a national park, nature was left to itself in many areas, large numbers of conifers fell victim to bark beetle
. The ridge of Kermeter, which is surrounded to the north and west by the Rur Reservoir and to the south by the Urft Reservoir, was particularly hard hit, because the very low precipitation there is ideal for bark beetles. This is a natural process, albeit one that needs to be monitored. In a timely fashion, it helps to prevent the spread of conifer woods outside the national parks. The repopulation of the southern part of national park area with beech
es is being gently encouraged. This involves a degree of so-called 'initial planting'. But there are also areas that need no more intervention. The beech trees thrive well in shade and their natural rejuvenation may also be found today beneath the spruce trees. Nevertheless it will be several decades before the beech is once again the dominant species.
Several paths are well-signed across the whole park. Specially established in the nature reserve and underpinned by associated literature are the circular 'themed' tours and the four-day Wilderness Trail (Wildnis-Trail).
The Wilderness Trail
Visitors can cross the whole park with its different landscapes in four challenging one-day stages. The Wilderness Trail is laid out so that it runs from Monschau-Höfen in the southwest in numerous bends to the northernmost point of the nature reserve to Hürtgenwald-Zerkall. Fallen logs, old giant trees and new offshoots give an insight today in several places of how in decades past it might have looked everywhere.
At the Rurberg Gate on the Eiserbachdamm their motto is "life veins of nature" (Lebensadern der Natur) and water is the central theme of the permanent exhibition. In Gemünd visitors experience the history of the forest at the Kurgarten Gate. In Heimbach, in an old station building, "forest secrets" (Waldgeheimnisse) are the main themes. At the Höfen Gate, narcissus meadows are a focal point. The largest occurrence of yellow wild narcissi in Germany begins at the edge of the "federal gold village" (Bundesgolddorfes). In Nideggen
it is about man and nature itself, focussing on the logistics of nature.
. Visitors may choose from at least eight different tours each week. Bookings are not necessary. En route the ranger will not just teach things, but also recount anecdotes and his or her own experiences. The circular walks are all suitable for blind people or those with impaired sight with their own guides as well as for families with children. The so-called ranger meetings (Rangertreffpunkte) are tailored to the ability and requirements of all participants.
In addition to the ranger tours and meetings there are irregular or seasonal events with trained forest guides, multilingual tours, walks with sign-language guidance, ranger-led boat trips, horse and coach trips and more. The monthly family days are particularly geared to children and parents and, during the local state school holidays, take place on Tuesdays and Fridays as well. Information about all these events and group bookings with the forest guides is available at the Eifel National Park Forestry Office (Nationalparkforstamt Eifel).
fields, sown with Glasmine 43
mines dating from the Second World War period, still exist near the dam of the Urft Reservoir. These sorts of mine cannot be easily cleared because there is still no device able to detect them. Even explosive-sniffing dogs cannot be used here because traces of explosive have been spread through the soil as a result of the fighting. Injuries caused by such mines are extremely difficult to treat medically because the glass splinters cannot be picked up by X-ray
s. Another type of mine laid here - the concrete mine (Betonmine) – may have become deactivated as a result of the ingress of moisture; that is not possible with glass mines, because they are much better protected from moisture.
The areas of the park sewn with glass mines are fenced off and marked with warning tape; entering them is strictly forbidden.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the first in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
.
General
The aims of the Eifel National Park accord with those set out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Ressources, IUCN. These require that at least 75 percent of the national park's area must be left to develop naturally - i.e. must not be given over to human use - within 30 years of the foundation of the park. Aims, mechanisms and executive bodies are laid down in the National Park Regulation (Nationalpark-Verordnung or NP-VO). The relatively young national park lies in the north of the EifelEifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
region between Nideggen
Nideggen
Nideggen is a town in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the river Rur, in the Eifel hills, approx. 15 km south of Düren....
in the north, Gemünd in the south and the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
border in the southwest. The legal decree by the state that lays the foundation for the park has been in force since 1 January 2004. The area covers about 10700 hectares (26,440.3 acre), is bordered to the northwest by the Rur Reservoir and includes the neighbouring Urft Reservoir, the former Vogelsang Military Training Area, but not the Nazi Ordensburg Vogelsang
Ordensburg Vogelsang
Ordensburg Vogelsang is a former national socialist estate placed at the former military training area in the national park Eifel in North Rhine-Westphalia. The landmarked and completely preserved estate was used by the National Socialists between 1936 and 1939 as an educational centre for future...
itself. The terrain of the former military training area run by the Belgian Armed Forces and used by NATO troops, the Dreiborn Plateau, forms about 3300 hectares (8,154.5 acre) of the entire area and has been open to the public since 1 January 2006.
The Eifel National Park protects the wood-rush and beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
woods that flourish in the maritime climate and which have been preserved to this day in parts of the North Eifel
North Eifel
The North Eifel , the northern part of the Eifel, a low mountain range in Germany and East Belgium, comprises the following six sub-regions:*Venn Foreland,*Hohes Venn,*Rur Eifel,*Limestone Eifel,*Our Valley and*High Eifel....
, but which originally covered the entire Eifel region as well as large parts of Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
. An area of 110 sqkm is covered by deciduous and coniferous woods, lakes, streams and open grassland. One large contiguous stretch of forest with a high percentage of beech woods is the region known as the Kermeter. This forested area is accessible and offers a large number of interesting walks. The Eifel National Park is home to over 900 species of endangered animals and plants on the red list. A total of 1,300 species of beetle alone have been discovered in its woods. Amongst the other forms are wildlife in the park are the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
, the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
and the wall lizard
Wall lizard
The common wall lizard is a species of lizard with a large distribution in Europe and well-established introduced populations in North America, where it is also called the European wall lizard. It can grow to about in total length.-Identification:The common wall lizard is a small, thin lizard...
which is a rarity in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Thanks to exploitation of the forests, especially for the production of charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
, much of the Eifel had been cleared of trees by the early 19th century. It was the Prussians in the 19th century who planted large parts of the Eifel with spruce. The planting of this type of tree was further encouraged after the Second World War. Spruce trees grow faster than many species of deciduous tree and enable more rapid reforestation
Reforestation
Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....
. Because, following its designation as a national park, nature was left to itself in many areas, large numbers of conifers fell victim to bark beetle
Bark beetle
A bark beetle is one of approximately 220 genera with 6,000 species of beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae. Traditionally, this was considered a distinct family Scolytidae, but now it is understood that bark beetles are in fact very specialized members of the "true weevil" family...
. The ridge of Kermeter, which is surrounded to the north and west by the Rur Reservoir and to the south by the Urft Reservoir, was particularly hard hit, because the very low precipitation there is ideal for bark beetles. This is a natural process, albeit one that needs to be monitored. In a timely fashion, it helps to prevent the spread of conifer woods outside the national parks. The repopulation of the southern part of national park area with beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
es is being gently encouraged. This involves a degree of so-called 'initial planting'. But there are also areas that need no more intervention. The beech trees thrive well in shade and their natural rejuvenation may also be found today beneath the spruce trees. Nevertheless it will be several decades before the beech is once again the dominant species.
Path network
Around 240 kilometres (149.1 mi) of paths are open to visitors of the Eifel National Park. Cyclists may use 104 kilometres (64.6 mi) of these and riders 65 kilometres (40.4 mi). When there is sufficient snow there are also five kilometres of cut trails for cross country skiers. All paths are marked with wooden signs and shown on the current walking map issued by the Eifel Club. On the former Vogelsang Military Training Area, the Dreiborn Plateau, there are additional knee-height posts with a coloured band indicating the correct routes. This is due to the deadly danger of mines that may have been left behind to the side of the paths.Several paths are well-signed across the whole park. Specially established in the nature reserve and underpinned by associated literature are the circular 'themed' tours and the four-day Wilderness Trail (Wildnis-Trail).
The Wilderness Trail
Visitors can cross the whole park with its different landscapes in four challenging one-day stages. The Wilderness Trail is laid out so that it runs from Monschau-Höfen in the southwest in numerous bends to the northernmost point of the nature reserve to Hürtgenwald-Zerkall. Fallen logs, old giant trees and new offshoots give an insight today in several places of how in decades past it might have looked everywhere.
National Park gates
In order to receive visitors and provide tourist information the national park management has established four gates to the park. The gates are open daily and entry is free. In addition to basic information each information centre offers a different theme.At the Rurberg Gate on the Eiserbachdamm their motto is "life veins of nature" (Lebensadern der Natur) and water is the central theme of the permanent exhibition. In Gemünd visitors experience the history of the forest at the Kurgarten Gate. In Heimbach, in an old station building, "forest secrets" (Waldgeheimnisse) are the main themes. At the Höfen Gate, narcissus meadows are a focal point. The largest occurrence of yellow wild narcissi in Germany begins at the edge of the "federal gold village" (Bundesgolddorfes). In Nideggen
Nideggen
Nideggen is a town in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the river Rur, in the Eifel hills, approx. 15 km south of Düren....
it is about man and nature itself, focussing on the logistics of nature.
Guided tours
The park offers regular, free guided tours with a trained rangerPark ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
. Visitors may choose from at least eight different tours each week. Bookings are not necessary. En route the ranger will not just teach things, but also recount anecdotes and his or her own experiences. The circular walks are all suitable for blind people or those with impaired sight with their own guides as well as for families with children. The so-called ranger meetings (Rangertreffpunkte) are tailored to the ability and requirements of all participants.
In addition to the ranger tours and meetings there are irregular or seasonal events with trained forest guides, multilingual tours, walks with sign-language guidance, ranger-led boat trips, horse and coach trips and more. The monthly family days are particularly geared to children and parents and, during the local state school holidays, take place on Tuesdays and Fridays as well. Information about all these events and group bookings with the forest guides is available at the Eifel National Park Forestry Office (Nationalparkforstamt Eifel).
Minefield danger
Several parts of the national park will not be open to the public for a long time. Anti-personnel mineAnti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mines are a form of land mine designed for use against humans, as opposed to anti-tank mines, which are designed for use against vehicles...
fields, sown with Glasmine 43
Glasmine 43
The Glasmine 43 was an anti-personnel mine used by the Germans during World War II.In order to make the mine less detectable, the entire body is made from glass. Aside from being less detectable, the use of less metal was beneficial because it saved this valuable war resource for other uses...
mines dating from the Second World War period, still exist near the dam of the Urft Reservoir. These sorts of mine cannot be easily cleared because there is still no device able to detect them. Even explosive-sniffing dogs cannot be used here because traces of explosive have been spread through the soil as a result of the fighting. Injuries caused by such mines are extremely difficult to treat medically because the glass splinters cannot be picked up by X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
s. Another type of mine laid here - the concrete mine (Betonmine) – may have become deactivated as a result of the ingress of moisture; that is not possible with glass mines, because they are much better protected from moisture.
The areas of the park sewn with glass mines are fenced off and marked with warning tape; entering them is strictly forbidden.
Sources
- Pfeifer, Maria: Nationalpark Eifel, ThemenTouren Bd. 4, Mit dem Fahrrad durch den Nationalpark Eifel, 1. Auflage, J.P. Bachem Verlag 2008, ISBN 978-3-7616-2179-0
- Pfeifer, Maria: Der Wildnis-Trail im Nationalpark Eifel, ThemenTouren Bd. 3, Vier Tagesetappen zwischen 18 und 25 km, 1. Auflage, J.P. Bachem Verlag 2007, ISBN 3-7616-2154-X
- Pfeifer, Maria: Kurze Wanderungen im Nationalpark Eifel, ThemenTouren Bd. 2, 12 leichte Touren zwischen 2 und 7 km, 2. Auflage J.P. Bachem Verlag 2007, ISBN 3-7616-2010-1
- NRW-Stiftung/Eifelverein (Hrsg.): Nationalpark Eifel, ThemenTouren Bd. 1, 10 Touren zwischen 5 und 18 km, 4. vollständig überarbeitete Auflage, J.P. Bachem Verlag 2007, ISBN 978-3-7616-2068-7
- Ulrike Schwieren-Höger: Natur- und Kulturführer Nationalpark Eifel und seine neun Städte und Gemeinden. Gaasterland-Verlag, Düsseldorf 2007, ISBN 978-3-935873-22-2
- NUA-Seminarberichte: Nationalpark Eifel – Eine Idee nimmt Gestalt an. NUA-Seminarbericht Band 8. 5. Jahrgang. Recklinghausen 2002.
- Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz (Hrsg.): Nationalparkplan des Nationalparks Eifel, Band 1: Leitbild und Ziele. Schleiden-Gemünd 2008.
- Förderverein Nationalpark Eifel (Hrsg.): Tier- und Pflanzenwelt im Nationalpark Eifel. J.P. Bachem Verlag, Köln 2006, ISBN 3-7616-2005-5.
- Förderverein Nationalpark Eifel (Hrsg.): Moose und Flechten im Nationalpark Eifel. J.P. Bachem Verlag, Köln 2007, ISBN 978-3-7616-2153-0.
- Eifelverein (Hrsg.): Nationalpark-Karte, 1:25.000, Wandern, Radfahren, Reiten, Wanderkarte Nr. 50 des Eifelvereins. 2008, ISBN 978-3-921805-51-0.
Films
- Im Nationalpark Eifel. Dokumentarfilm, 45 Min., Deutschland, 2005, von Ina Knobloch und Manfred Praxl, Produktion: MDR. Kurzbeschreibung des MDR