Oberwälder Land
Encyclopedia
The Oberwälder Land is a natural region
in the extreme east of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
with small elements parts in Hesse
and Lower Saxony
. It consists of Muschelkalk
upland, heavily dissected by the Nethe
and its tributaries, between the Eggegebirge
to the west, the Lippe Uplands
to the north, the Weser Valley around Holzminden to the east, the West Hesse Depression
to the southeast and the Warburg Börde to the south. This natural region is part of the upper Weser Uplands and hence the German Central Uplands
.
in the centre as well significant parts of Nieheim
, Beverungen
, Höxter
and Willebadessen
. The latter is also true of the Hessian town of Liebenau and to a lesser extent of Polle
in Lower Saxony. The name derives from the time of the Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn, when there was an Oberwaldischer Distrikt as an administrative unit. Oberwaldisch meant situated beyond the Eggegebirge
(as seen from the town of Paderborn).
.
The region has a maritime climate, but the individual microclimate
s vary according to height above sea level. The average annual precipitation
is between 750 and 900 mm. The predominant natural woodland habitat is the beech
wood.
; grassland
is only found on the wetter, wider valley floors.
Natural region
A Natural region is one which is distinguished by its natural features of geography and usually more important, geology. The natural ecology of the region is likely to be significant but one of these factors tends to influence the others....
in the extreme east of the German state of 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...
with small elements parts in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
and Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
. It consists of Muschelkalk
Muschelkalk
The Muschelkalk is a sequence of sedimentary rock strata in the geology of central and western Europe. It has a Middle Triassic age and forms the middle part of the Germanic Trias, that further consists of the Buntsandstein and Keuper...
upland, heavily dissected by the Nethe
Nethe
Nethe is a river of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia...
and its tributaries, between the Eggegebirge
Eggegebirge
The Eggegebirge is a range of low, forested mountains in the very east of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.-Geography:The Eggegebirge extends from the southern tip of the Teutoburger Wald range near Horn-Bad Meinberg southwards to the northern parts of the Sauerland near Marsberg...
to the west, the Lippe Uplands
Lippe Uplands
The Lippe Uplands is a range of hills in Ostwestfalen-Lippe within the administrative district of Detmold in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.-Geography:...
to the north, the Weser Valley around Holzminden to the east, the West Hesse Depression
West Hesse Depression
The West Hesse Depression is part of the West Hesse Highlands and Lowlands region in the north of the German state of Hesse.- Geographical location :...
to the southeast and the Warburg Börde to the south. This natural region is part of the upper Weser Uplands and hence the German Central Uplands
Central Uplands
The Central Uplands is one of the three major natural regions of Germany and covers most of the land area of the country. To the north lies the North German Plain or Northern Lowland; to the south, the Alps and the Alpine Foreland.- Formation :...
.
Political division
The Oberwälder Land lies predominantly in the North Rhine-Westphalian district of Höxter. This includes the borough of BrakelBrakel
Brakel is a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek and the Flemish Ardennes. The name is derived from a Carolingian villa Braglo first mentioned in 866 and located in the center of Opbrakel. Since 1970, the municipality has comprised the villages of Nederbrakel,...
in the centre as well significant parts of Nieheim
Nieheim
Nieheim is a town in Höxter district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Constituent communities :Nieheim consists of the following 10 centres:* Entrup* Eversen* Erwitzen* Himmighausen* Holzhausen* Merlsheim* Nieheim* Oeynhausen* Schönenberg...
, Beverungen
Beverungen
Beverungen is a town in Höxter district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Location :Beverungen lies in the Weser Uplands on the side of the Weser opposite Solling roughly 10 km south of Höxter. In parts of the eastern municipal area near the river, the town has a share of the Weser Valley,...
, Höxter
Höxter
Höxter is the seat of the Höxter district, and a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia on the left bank of the river Weser, 52 km north of Kassel in the centre of the Weser Uplands...
and Willebadessen
Willebadessen
Willebadessen is a town in Höxter district and Detmold region in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Location :Willebadessen lies on the eastern edge of the Eggegebirge about 25 km southeast of Paderborn, and is crossed by the little river Nethe, which rises in the neighbouring community of Bad...
. The latter is also true of the Hessian town of Liebenau and to a lesser extent of Polle
Polle
Polle is a municipality in the district of Holzminden, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Weser, approx. 8 km northwest of Holzminden....
in Lower Saxony. The name derives from the time of the Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn, when there was an Oberwaldischer Distrikt as an administrative unit. Oberwaldisch meant situated beyond the Eggegebirge
Eggegebirge
The Eggegebirge is a range of low, forested mountains in the very east of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.-Geography:The Eggegebirge extends from the southern tip of the Teutoburger Wald range near Horn-Bad Meinberg southwards to the northern parts of the Sauerland near Marsberg...
(as seen from the town of Paderborn).
Natural features
The deep, sunken Weser valley to the east necessitates a very steep descent for the streams of the Oberwälder Land, which cut deeply into the soft limestone as a result. There are numerous 'box-shaped' valleys which, in the west, flow towards the flat Nethe depression around Brakel, and, in the east, run directly to the Weser and lie at a height of about 150 m NN. The heavily dissected uplands reach heights of up to 350 m and, in places, their slopes descend in steep steps. As one would expect from the underlying rocks, much of the soil contains high levels of calcium carbonateCalcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3. It is a common substance found in rocks in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, coal balls, pearls, and eggshells. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime,...
.
The region has a maritime climate, but the individual microclimate
Microclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
s vary according to height above sea level. The average annual precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
is between 750 and 900 mm. The predominant natural woodland habitat is the 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:...
wood.
Human utilisation
The greater part of the landscape is given over to arable farmingAgronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology,...
; grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
is only found on the wetter, wider valley floors.
Literature
- Emil Meynen (Hrsg.): Handbuch der naturräumlichen Gliederung Deutschlands. Selbstverlag der Bundesanstalt für Landeskunde, Remagen 1953-1962 (Teil 1, enthält Lieferung 1-5), ISBN B0000BJ19E
External links
- http://www.bfn.de/03/landschaften/steckbrief.php?landschaftid=36101BfNBFNBFN is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Internet slang for "Bye for now"* In computer science, the Backus Normal Form or Backus–Naur Form is a notation technique for context-free grammars...
Landscape fact file]