Federsee
Encyclopedia
Federsee is a lake
located just north of Bad Buchau
in the region of Upper Swabia
in Southern Germany
. It is surrounded by moorland
, partially overgrown with reeds
. With a size of 33 km² (8,155 acres), the area is one of the largest, groundwater fed, connected moorlands in Southern Germany. At its deepest point, Lake Federsee has a depth of 2 metres (6.5 feet). Federsee translates to 'feather lake' and its shape resembles that of a feather. However, the origin of its name is locally debated, with one camp defending the shape theory, and another championing the idea that the amount of feathers found on the lake's surface gave rise to its name. The most probable explanation for the origin of the name is, however, the celtic word "pheder" which means marsh. Therefore the name refers to the origin of the lake itself and the surrounding landscape. The lake is encircled by the town
of Bad Buchau, and the villages of Moosburg, Alleshausen
, Seekirch
, Tiefenbach
, and Oggelshausen
.
The lake and its immediate surroundings are a designated Special Protection Area
for the conservation of wild bird
s. Around 265 bird species live in the vicinity of the lake, 107 of which are breeding here. The lake is also populated by 200 breeding pairs of Whinchat
s and 18 breeding pairs of Marsh Harrier
s. Both are endangered species.
The Lake Federsee area has been declared a Special Protection Area
under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds
and the Habitats Directive. Furthermore, the area is part of the European ecology network Natura 2000
.
The basin
of Lake Federsee is famous for its excavations of Stone Age
and Bronze Age
artifacts, which are prominently displayed at the Federsee Museum.
Since the lake is completely surrounded by belts of reed and bogs, it is impossible to access the lake directly. Therefore, a narrow wooden boardwalk
approx 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) in length was constructed. Starting near the parking area at the Federsee Museum, it leads through the reed belt until open water is reached. Here one finds an observation platform and boat rental facility. There are a variety of piers leading to different parts of the protected area, which otherwise would be inaccessible by foot.
The village of Tiefenbach is located closest to the water. When Lake Federsee's surface is frozen during the winter months it is possible to walk from Tiefenbach to Bad Buchau across the frozen lake.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located just north of Bad Buchau
Bad Buchau
Bad Buchau is a small town in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany with about 4,000 inhabitants. It is situated near the Federsee, which is separated from the town by a wide reed belt....
in the region of Upper Swabia
Upper Swabia
Upper Swabia is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The name refers to the area between the Swabian Alb, Lake Constance and the Lech...
in Southern 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...
. It is surrounded by moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
, partially overgrown with reeds
Reed bed
Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...
. With a size of 33 km² (8,155 acres), the area is one of the largest, groundwater fed, connected moorlands in Southern Germany. At its deepest point, Lake Federsee has a depth of 2 metres (6.5 feet). Federsee translates to 'feather lake' and its shape resembles that of a feather. However, the origin of its name is locally debated, with one camp defending the shape theory, and another championing the idea that the amount of feathers found on the lake's surface gave rise to its name. The most probable explanation for the origin of the name is, however, the celtic word "pheder" which means marsh. Therefore the name refers to the origin of the lake itself and the surrounding landscape. The lake is encircled by the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Bad Buchau, and the villages of Moosburg, Alleshausen
Alleshausen
Alleshausen is a municipality in the district of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-World heritage site:It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site....
, Seekirch
Seekirch
Seekirch is a town in the district of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
, Tiefenbach
Tiefenbach, Biberach
Tiefenbach is a town in the district of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
, and Oggelshausen
Oggelshausen
Oggelshausen is a town in the district of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
.
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
for the conservation of wild bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. Around 265 bird species live in the vicinity of the lake, 107 of which are breeding here. The lake is also populated by 200 breeding pairs of Whinchat
Whinchat
The Whinchat Saxicola rubetra is a small migratory passerine bird breeding in Europe and western Asia and wintering in Africa.Its scientific name means "small rock-dweller", in reference to its habitat...
s and 18 breeding pairs of Marsh Harrier
Marsh harrier
The marsh harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. They are medium-sized raptors and the largest and broadest-winged harriers. Most of them are associated with marshland and dense reedbeds...
s. Both are endangered species.
The Lake Federsee area has been declared a Special Protection Area
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds
Birds Directive
The Birds Directive is a European Union directive adopted in 2009. It replaces Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds which was modified several times and had become very unclear...
and the Habitats Directive. Furthermore, the area is part of the European ecology network Natura 2000
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
.
The basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of Lake Federsee is famous for its excavations of Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
artifacts, which are prominently displayed at the Federsee Museum.
Since the lake is completely surrounded by belts of reed and bogs, it is impossible to access the lake directly. Therefore, a narrow wooden boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
approx 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) in length was constructed. Starting near the parking area at the Federsee Museum, it leads through the reed belt until open water is reached. Here one finds an observation platform and boat rental facility. There are a variety of piers leading to different parts of the protected area, which otherwise would be inaccessible by foot.
The village of Tiefenbach is located closest to the water. When Lake Federsee's surface is frozen during the winter months it is possible to walk from Tiefenbach to Bad Buchau across the frozen lake.