Streckelsberg
Encyclopedia
TheStreckelsberg is an approximately 58 metre high coastal cliff
on the island of Usedom
in North Germany. After the Golm and the Kückelsberg, the Streckelsberg is the third highest elevation on the island. The Streckelsberg is located half a kilometre southeast of the former fishing village and present-day seaside resort of Koserow
directly on the Baltic Sea
shore. To the southeast is the village of Kölpinsee
; the B 111 federal road
and Usedomer Bäderbahn
railway run past the hill to the southwest.
. At that time over 16,000 years ago large parts of central and northern Europe were covered by a massive ice sheet
. During the gradual retreat of the ice, there were repeated smaller advances of the glacier
that led to the formation of moraines. The Streckelsberg was formed during such an advance, when the glacier pushed loose sedimentary rock
in front of it, piling it up. When the ice retreated further, the first Baltic proglacial lake
was formed from the meltwater
s and rising sea levels, later the Yoldia Sea
and Ancylus Lake
were created and, ultimately, the Baltic Sea in its present shape. Originally, the Streckelsberg was much larger than it is today, both in terms of size and height. Through erosion processes the Streckelsberg soon shrank, particularly as a result of breakers
from the Baltic Sea. Wave and wind erosion has reduced the Streckelsberg by 250 metres (820.2 ft) in the last 300 years. This process still continues, despite coastal protection measures taken in 1995, including groynes, two breakwaters, a triple protective wall and the dumping of artificial sand. In strong storms, parts of the cliff
frequently break off and slump down onto the beach.
. Huge masses of ice advanced from Scandinavia to central Germany. In doing so they moved rocks of all sizes (glacial erratic
s) ahead of them into what is present-day Germany. The island of Usedom was created a result of the latest ice age, the Weichselian Glaciation, which reached its climax about 18,000 years ago. After huge ice masses (inland ice sheet
s) had melted, characteristic landforms were left behind. These are the ground moraines (areas that had been pushed ahead of the advancing ice masses), the terminal moraine
s (heaps of rock and earth material pushed up and compressed into hills at the southern edge of the inland ice block into hills) and the sandur
(sands washed out of the terminal moraines as the ice melted, which were deposited on the southern side of the terminal moraines). The Streckelsberg is such a terminal moraine, with an area of sandur to the south as far as the Achterwasser
lagoon. The Baltic Sea on the north side of the Streckelsberg can be regarded as a giant terminal moraine lake. 7000 to 5000 years ago the island did not exist in its current form. Only the terminal moraines, also known as island or geest cores stuck out from the waters of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea carried off material from these island cores with the force of waves and prevailing currents, depositing it on their leeward sides, so that spits
began to be formed. These spits grew as more material was deposited to form sand bars, so that the area between the island cores fully silted up. Examples of such sedimentation zones are the Pudaglasenke and the lowland area between Peenemünde
and Zinnowitz
, and between Zinnowitz and Koserow.
or cep, honey fungus
), in addition there is the herbaceous layer, which is characterized by various species depending on the season. In spring when the soil is warmed up quickly by sunlight
, spring flowers like hepatica
appear, which conjure up blue carpets on the forest floor, followed by anemone
. As the temperatures rise, leaves sprout on the trees. The level of sunlight under the trees reduces and species such as Spring Vetchling, Lily of the Valley
, May Lily, Moschatel
, Herb Paris and Woodruff
appear, which flourish under conditions of low light. As the foliage becomes denser, shade-loving summer flowers appear. The first ones are the remaining native orchids of our deciduous forests. On the Streckelsberg: Common Twayblade, Lesser Butterfly-orchid, Bird's-nest Orchid
and Red helleborine
. Rather less colourful summer flowers in the beech woods are the Small Balsam, Common Figwort, Wood Avens
, Wall Lettuce, Baneberry and Enchanter's-nightshade. Characteristic grass
es of the herbaceous layer of the beech forest are False Brome
, Wood Melick and Giant Fescue. The overlying shrub layer consists of bushes
and saplings, such as Elder
, Rowan
, Fly Honeysuckle
, Common Honeysuckle, Dewberry
, Raspberry
, Blackthorn
, Common Ivy, Alpine Currant, Hazel
, Goat Willow
, Bird Cherry
, three species of wild rose
, Common Buckthorn and Viburnum
. There are also young trees of the species Norway Maple
, Sycamore
and Silver Birch
. The tree layer is dominated by Beech
trees that are more than 180 years old and, on the slopes of the hill, by equally ancient Scots Pine
s.
(Oberförster) Schrödter afforested the Streckelsberg in 1818 and 1819 in its present form with beech trees in order to better protect the hill and the village of Koserow behind it from the harsh sea winds and from drifting sand. Schrödter was born in 1753 in Klein Behnitz (in the March of Brandenburg). After several years of training he became a royal court and district hunter (Hofjäger and Revierjäger). From 1810 he was the district forester in Zinnowitz. After the afforestation of the Streckelsberg, he became the senior forester in the Neupudagla Forest District in 1819. He died in 1828.
The Wolgast Gazette (Wolgaster Anzeiger), No. 61 of 21 May 1900, reported that: "Schrödter rendered great service in the spheres of forestry and sand dunes. He knew, in a masterly way how to anchor and cultivate the bare, infertile sands on the beach at Koserow, with which the wind played games. In particular, he did a great job of afforesting the Streckelsberg at the seaside resort of Koserow, which is now protected by the woods against the harsh sea winds and unwelcome sand drifts. The Schrödter Stone (Schrödterstein), an undressed granite
rock has, in gold letters on a polished plate the words:
and Common Lizard, the Mole
, the Common Shrew
, the Tundra Vole
and Red Fox
. In the tree layer the Beech Marten
and Red Squirrel
may be seen. The herb and shrub layer are home to many species of songbird
. The main bird species on the Streckelsberg are the Robin
Wren
, Great Tit
, Blue Tit
, Chiffchaff
, Red-breasted Flycatcher
, Willow Warbler
Blackcap
and Lesser Whitethroat
. The somewhat larger Blackbird and Song Thrush
also live on the Streckelsberg. In the tree layer there are Golden Oriole
, Chaffinch
, Stock Dove, Tawny Owl
, Wood Pigeon, Hooded Crow
and Goshawk. Bat
s also have their summer homes in tree hollows and cracks. Depending on the biodiversity of the flora, many insect
species live on Streckelsberg. In addition to various butterflies there are also beetle
s, including the Capricorn Beetle, Sawyer and Longhorn Beetle
, whose larva
e live on dead wood
.
Waterfowl
From the walking trail on the top of the cliffs on the Streckelsberg a wide variety of water bird
s may be seen including: Mallard
, Black-headed Gull
, Common Gull
, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull
, Great Crested Grebe
, Coot
, Cormorant
and Mute Swan
. Regular migrants
from their breeding grounds north of Usedom that may be seen in shallow water are the Tufted Duck
, Scaup
, Eider Duck
, Goldeneye
, Long-tailed Duck
, Red-breasted Merganser
und Common Merganser
.
. The state of the terrain is classified as satisfactory, because parts of it are used for forestry
observation tower on the Streckelsberg built in the late 1930s for observers of air raids (e.g., on the ports of Swinemünde and Szczecin
). The tower's observation deck later had a cinetheodolite
for the optical tracking of missile tests from Peenemünde-West
(e.g., V-1 flying bomb) and the Peenemünde Army Research Center (V-2 rocket).
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
on the island of Usedom
Usedom
Usedom is a Baltic Sea island on the border between Germany and Poland. It is situated north of the Szczecin Lagoon estuary of the River Oder in Pomerania...
in North Germany. After the Golm and the Kückelsberg, the Streckelsberg is the third highest elevation on the island. The Streckelsberg is located half a kilometre southeast of the former fishing village and present-day seaside resort of Koserow
Koserow
Koserow is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. As of 2009 it has a population of 1,693.A small coastal bathing resort, Koserow lies on an isthmus on the island of Usedom on the Baltic Sea, near the border with Poland...
directly on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
shore. To the southeast is the village of Kölpinsee
Loddin
Loddin is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.-External links:*...
; the B 111 federal road
Bundesstraße 111
The B 111 begins at the A 20 motorway near Gützkow and ends at the B 110 near Mellenthin in northeast Germany. Since January 2008 the Bundesstraße 111 has followed the course of the old state road L 265...
and Usedomer Bäderbahn
Usedomer Bäderbahn
The Usedomer Bäderbahn with its head office in Heringsdorf, North Germany, is a 100 percent-owned subsidiary of the German national railway, Deutsche Bahn and the owner and operator of the railway network on the island of Usedom as well as the Züssow–Wolgast and Velgast–Barth lines. It calls all...
railway run past the hill to the southwest.
Geology
The Streckelsberg was formed during the last ice age as a push morainePush moraine
A push moraine or pushed moraine is in geomorphology a moraine that forms when the terminus advance of a lowland glacier pushes unstratified glacial sediment into a pile or linear ridge in front of it. A push moraine is identified by its ability to push sediment upwards from its original...
. At that time over 16,000 years ago large parts of central and northern Europe were covered by a massive ice sheet
Ice sheet
An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² , thus also known as continental glacier...
. During the gradual retreat of the ice, there were repeated smaller advances of the glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
that led to the formation of moraines. The Streckelsberg was formed during such an advance, when the glacier pushed loose sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
in front of it, piling it up. When the ice retreated further, the first Baltic proglacial lake
Proglacial lake
In geology, a proglacial lake is a lake formed either by the damming action of a moraine or ice dam during the retreat of a melting glacier, or by meltwater trapped against an ice sheet due to isostatic depression of the crust around the ice...
was formed from the meltwater
Meltwater
Meltwater is the water released by the melting of snow or ice, including glacial ice and ice shelfs over oceans. Meltwater is often found in the ablation zone of glaciers, where the rate of snow cover is reducing...
s and rising sea levels, later the Yoldia Sea
Yoldia Sea
Yoldia Sea is a name given by geologists to a variable brackish-water stage in the Baltic Sea basin that prevailed after the Baltic ice lake was drained to sea level during the Weichsel glaciation...
and Ancylus Lake
Ancylus Lake
Ancylus lake is a name given by geologists to the body of fresh water that replaced the Yoldia Sea after the latter had been severed from its saline intake across central Sweden by the isostatic rise of south Scandinavian landforms. The dates are approximately 9500-8000 BP calibrated, during the...
were created and, ultimately, the Baltic Sea in its present shape. Originally, the Streckelsberg was much larger than it is today, both in terms of size and height. Through erosion processes the Streckelsberg soon shrank, particularly as a result of breakers
Breaking wave
In fluid dynamics, a breaking wave is a wave whose amplitude reaches a critical level at which some process can suddenly start to occur that causes large amounts of wave energy to be transformed into turbulent kinetic energy...
from the Baltic Sea. Wave and wind erosion has reduced the Streckelsberg by 250 metres (820.2 ft) in the last 300 years. This process still continues, despite coastal protection measures taken in 1995, including groynes, two breakwaters, a triple protective wall and the dumping of artificial sand. In strong storms, parts of the cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
frequently break off and slump down onto the beach.
Geological history of the island of Usedom and the Streckelsberg
The landscape of Northern Germany was formed as a result of several cold stagesIce age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. Huge masses of ice advanced from Scandinavia to central Germany. In doing so they moved rocks of all sizes (glacial erratic
Glacial erratic
A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. "Erratics" take their name from the Latin word errare, and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres...
s) ahead of them into what is present-day Germany. The island of Usedom was created a result of the latest ice age, the Weichselian Glaciation, which reached its climax about 18,000 years ago. After huge ice masses (inland ice sheet
Ice sheet
An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² , thus also known as continental glacier...
s) had melted, characteristic landforms were left behind. These are the ground moraines (areas that had been pushed ahead of the advancing ice masses), the terminal moraine
Terminal moraine
A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a moraine that forms at the end of the glacier called the snout.Terminal moraines mark the maximum advance of the glacier. An end moraine is at the present boundary of the glacier....
s (heaps of rock and earth material pushed up and compressed into hills at the southern edge of the inland ice block into hills) and the sandur
Sandur
A sandur is a glacial outwash plain formed of sediments deposited by meltwater at the terminus of a glacier.- Formation :Sandar are found in glaciated areas, such as Svalbard, Kerguelen Islands, and Iceland...
(sands washed out of the terminal moraines as the ice melted, which were deposited on the southern side of the terminal moraines). The Streckelsberg is such a terminal moraine, with an area of sandur to the south as far as the Achterwasser
Achterwasser
The Achterwasser is a lagoon forming a bay on the Peenestrom river, which flows into the Baltic Sea, and like that estuary is an inland coastal waterbody. This lagoon extends so far into the island of Usedom, that it is only separated from the Baltic Sea by a narrow barrier spit between Ückeritz...
lagoon. The Baltic Sea on the north side of the Streckelsberg can be regarded as a giant terminal moraine lake. 7000 to 5000 years ago the island did not exist in its current form. Only the terminal moraines, also known as island or geest cores stuck out from the waters of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea carried off material from these island cores with the force of waves and prevailing currents, depositing it on their leeward sides, so that spits
Spit (landform)
A spit or sandspit is a deposition landform found off coasts. At one end, spits connect to land, and extend into the sea. A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at cove's headlands, by the process of longshore drift...
began to be formed. These spits grew as more material was deposited to form sand bars, so that the area between the island cores fully silted up. Examples of such sedimentation zones are the Pudaglasenke and the lowland area between Peenemünde
Peenemünde
The Peenemünde Army Research Center was founded in 1937 as one of five military proving grounds under the Army Weapons Office ....
and Zinnowitz
Zinnowitz
Zinnowitz is a spa town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the northern German island of Usedom on the Baltic Sea. The town has rail connections to Wolgast and Ahlbeck.-History:...
, and between Zinnowitz and Koserow.
Flora
The vegetation of the area is divided into layers like any natural habitat in the temperate climatic zone. On the field layer are mosses and fungi (penny bunPenny bun
A penny bun or a penny loaf was a small bread bun or loaf which cost one old penny at the time when there were 240 pence to the pound. A penny loaf was a common size loaf of bread in England regulated by the Assize of Bread Act of 1266. However, the cost of the loaf could vary depending on the...
or cep, honey fungus
Honey fungus
Honey fungus, or Armillaria or оpenky , is a genus of parasitic fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. It includes about 10 species formerly lumped together as A. mellea. Armillarias are long lived and form some of the largest living organisms in the world...
), in addition there is the herbaceous layer, which is characterized by various species depending on the season. In spring when the soil is warmed up quickly by sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere, and solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon.When the direct solar radiation is not blocked...
, spring flowers like hepatica
Hepatica
Hepatica is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the buttercup family, native to central and northern Europe, Asia and eastern North America...
appear, which conjure up blue carpets on the forest floor, followed by anemone
Anemone
Anemone , is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae in the north and south temperate zones...
. As the temperatures rise, leaves sprout on the trees. The level of sunlight under the trees reduces and species such as Spring Vetchling, Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis , commonly known as the lily-of-the-valley, is a poisonous woodland flowering plant native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe....
, May Lily, Moschatel
Moschatel
Adoxa moschatellina is the sole member of the genus Adoxa. It grows in hedgerows throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, in cool forests, at low altitudes in the far north, to high altitudes in mountains in the south of its range...
, Herb Paris and Woodruff
Woodruff
Galium odoratum is a perennial plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.A herbaceous plant, it grows to 30-50 cm long, often lying flat on the ground or supported by other plants...
appear, which flourish under conditions of low light. As the foliage becomes denser, shade-loving summer flowers appear. The first ones are the remaining native orchids of our deciduous forests. On the Streckelsberg: Common Twayblade, Lesser Butterfly-orchid, Bird's-nest Orchid
Bird's-nest Orchid
The Bird's-nest Orchid, Neottia nidus-avis, is a non-photosynthetic orchid found in shady woodland on basic soils. It is a myco-heterotroph. It obtains its nutrients from a mycorrhizal fungus that is attached to a photosynthetic host plant...
and Red helleborine
Red Helleborine
Red Helleborine is an orchid found in Europe, north Africa and parts of Asia. Although reasonably common in parts of its range, this helleborine has always been one of the rarest orchids in Britain.-Distribution and habitat:...
. Rather less colourful summer flowers in the beech woods are the Small Balsam, Common Figwort, Wood Avens
Wood Avens
Geum urbanum, also known as wood avens, herb Bennet, colewort and St. Benedict's herb , is a perennial plant in the rose family , which grows in shady places in Europe and the Middle East.Usually reaching a height between 20 and 60 cm, wood avens blooms between May and August,...
, Wall Lettuce, Baneberry and Enchanter's-nightshade. Characteristic grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es of the herbaceous layer of the beech forest are False Brome
False Brome
-Introduction:False Brome, Slender False Brome or Wood False Brome, Brachypodium sylvaticum, is a perennial grass native to Europe, Asia and north Africa....
, Wood Melick and Giant Fescue. The overlying shrub layer consists of bushes
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
and saplings, such as Elder
Elder
Elder is a surname that means "older than you".* American Indian elder-In religion:* Elder , person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group** Elder...
, Rowan
Rowan
The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees in genus Sorbus of family Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies...
, Fly Honeysuckle
Fly Honeysuckle
Fly Honeysuckle may refer to:* Lonicera canadensis - American Fly Honeysuckle* Lonicera oblongifolia – Swamp Fly Honeysuckle* Lonicera villosa – Mountain Fly Honeysuckle...
, Common Honeysuckle, Dewberry
Dewberry
The dewberries are a group of species in the genus Rubus, section Rubus, closely related to the blackberries. They are small trailing brambles with berries reminiscent of the raspberry, but are usually purple to black instead of red.Dewberries are common throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere,...
, Raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
, Blackthorn
Blackthorn
Prunus spinosa is a species of Prunus native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa. It is also locally naturalised in New Zealand and eastern North America....
, Common Ivy, Alpine Currant, Hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
, Goat Willow
Goat Willow
Salix caprea , is a common species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia....
, Bird Cherry
Bird Cherry
Prunus padus, known as Bird Cherry or Hackberry, is a species of cherry, native to northern Europe and northern Asia. It is a deciduous small tree or large shrub, 8–16 m tall, which grows north of the Arctic Circle in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia...
, three species of wild rose
Wild Rose
Wild Rose is the name given to certain flowering shrubs:*Genus Rosa:** Rosa acicularis, or Wild Rose, a rose species which occurs in Asia, Europe, and North America...
, Common Buckthorn and Viburnum
Viburnum
Viburnum is a genus of about 150–175 species of shrubs or small trees in the moschatel family, Adoxaceae. Its current classification is based on molecular phylogeny...
. There are also young trees of the species Norway Maple
Norway Maple
Acer platanoides is a species of maple native to eastern and central Europe and southwest Asia, from France east to Russia, north to southern Scandinavia and southeast to northern Iran....
, Sycamore
Sycamore
Sycamore is a name which is applied at various times and places to three very different types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms....
and Silver Birch
Silver Birch
Betula pendula is a widespread European birch, though in southern Europe it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey and the Caucasus...
. The tree layer is dominated by 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:...
trees that are more than 180 years old and, on the slopes of the hill, by equally ancient Scots Pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
s.
Afforestation of the Streckelsberg by Senior Forester Schrödter
Senior ForesterForester
250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
(Oberförster) Schrödter afforested the Streckelsberg in 1818 and 1819 in its present form with beech trees in order to better protect the hill and the village of Koserow behind it from the harsh sea winds and from drifting sand. Schrödter was born in 1753 in Klein Behnitz (in the March of Brandenburg). After several years of training he became a royal court and district hunter (Hofjäger and Revierjäger). From 1810 he was the district forester in Zinnowitz. After the afforestation of the Streckelsberg, he became the senior forester in the Neupudagla Forest District in 1819. He died in 1828.
The Wolgast Gazette (Wolgaster Anzeiger), No. 61 of 21 May 1900, reported that: "Schrödter rendered great service in the spheres of forestry and sand dunes. He knew, in a masterly way how to anchor and cultivate the bare, infertile sands on the beach at Koserow, with which the wind played games. In particular, he did a great job of afforesting the Streckelsberg at the seaside resort of Koserow, which is now protected by the woods against the harsh sea winds and unwelcome sand drifts. The Schrödter Stone (Schrödterstein), an undressed granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
rock has, in gold letters on a polished plate the words:
Fauna
The wildlife of the area corresponds to the various layers of vegetation. On and in the earth live the Sand LizardSand Lizard
The sand lizard is a lacertid lizard distributed across most of Europe and eastwards to Mongolia. It does not occur in the Iberian peninsula or European Turkey. Its distribution is often patchy....
and Common Lizard, the Mole
European Mole
The European Mole, Talpa europaea, is a mammal of the order Soricomorpha. It is also known as the Common Mole and the Northern Mole....
, the Common Shrew
Common Shrew
The Common Shrew or Eurasian Shrew, Sorex araneus, is the most common shrew, and one of the most common mammals, throughout Northern Europe, including Great Britain, but excluding Ireland. It is long and weighs , and has velvety dark brown fur with a pale underside. Juvenile shrews have lighter...
, the Tundra Vole
Tundra Vole
The Tundra Vole or Root Vole, Microtus oeconomus, is a medium-sized vole found in Northern and Central Europe, Asia, and northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada...
and Red Fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
. In the tree layer the Beech Marten
Beech Marten
The beech marten , also known as the stone marten or white breasted marten, is a species of marten native to much of Europe and Central Asia, though it has established a feral population in North America. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN on account of its wide distribution, its large...
and Red Squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
may be seen. The herb and shrub layer are home to many species of songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
. The main bird species on the Streckelsberg are the Robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
Wren
Wren
The wrens are passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera....
, Great Tit
Great Tit
The Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most Great Tits do not migrate except in extremely...
, Blue Tit
Blue Tit
The Blue Tit is a 10.5 to 12 cm long passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands...
, Chiffchaff
Chiffchaff
The Common Chiffchaff, or simply the Chiffchaff, is a common and widespread leaf-warbler which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia....
, Red-breasted Flycatcher
Red-breasted Flycatcher
The Red-breasted Flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It breeds in eastern Europe and across central Asia and is migratory, wintering in south Asia. It is a regular passage migrant in western Europe, whereas the Collared Flycatcher which breeds further west is...
, Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
The Willow Warbler is a very common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia, from Ireland east to the Anadyr River basin in eastern Siberia...
Blackcap
Blackcap
The Blackcap is a common and widespread sylviid warbler which breeds throughout temperate Europe, western Asia and northwestern Africa, and winters from northwestern Europe south to tropical Africa...
and Lesser Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
The Lesser Whitethroat is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds in temperate Europe, except the southwest, and in western and central Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, wintering in Africa just south of the Sahara, Arabia and India.Unlike many typical warblers,...
. The somewhat larger Blackbird and Song Thrush
Song Thrush
The Song Thrush is a thrush that breeds across much of Eurasia. It is also known in English dialects as throstle or mavis. It has brown upperparts and black-spotted cream or buff underparts and has three recognised subspecies...
also live on the Streckelsberg. In the tree layer there are Golden Oriole
Golden Oriole
The Eurasian Golden Oriole or simply Golden Oriole is the only member of the oriole family of passerine birds breeding in northern hemisphere temperate regions...
, Chaffinch
Chaffinch
The Chaffinch , also called by a wide variety of other names, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.- Description :...
, Stock Dove, Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl
The Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is a stocky, medium-sized owl commonly found in woodlands across much of Eurasia. Its underparts are pale with dark streaks, and the upperparts are either brown or grey. Several of the eleven recognised subspecies have both variants...
, Wood Pigeon, Hooded Crow
Hooded Crow
The Hooded Crow is a Eurasian bird species in the crow genus. Widely distributed, it is also known locally as Scotch Crow, Danish Crow, and Corbie or Grey Crow in Ireland, which is what its Welsh name, Brân Lwyd, translates as...
and Goshawk. Bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s also have their summer homes in tree hollows and cracks. Depending on the biodiversity of the flora, many insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
species live on Streckelsberg. In addition to various butterflies there are also beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s, including the Capricorn Beetle, Sawyer and Longhorn Beetle
Longhorn beetle
The longhorn beetles are a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body...
, whose larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e live on dead wood
Dead wood
Forestry and gardening* coarse woody debris, fallen dead trees and the remains of large branches on the ground in forests.* large woody debris, logs, branches, and other wood that falls into streams and rivers....
.
Waterfowl
From the walking trail on the top of the cliffs on the Streckelsberg a wide variety of water bird
Water bird
The term water bird or waterbird is used to refer to birds that live on or around water. Some definitions apply the term especially to birds in freshwater habitats, though others make no distinction from birds that inhabit marine environments. In addition, some water birds are more terrestrial or...
s may be seen including: Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull
The Black-headed Gull is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory, wintering further south, but some birds in the milder westernmost areas of Europe are resident...
, Common Gull
Common Gull
The Common Gull or Mew Gull Larus canus is a medium-sized gull which breeds in northern Asia, northern Europe and northwestern North America. It migrates further south in winter...
, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull in the world, which breeds on the European and North American coasts and islands of the North Atlantic...
, Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
, Coot
Eurasian Coot
The Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra, also known as Coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. The Australian subspecies is known as the Australian Coot.-Distribution:...
, Cormorant
Great Cormorant
The Great Cormorant , known as the Great Black Cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the Black Cormorant in Australia and the Black Shag further south in New Zealand, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds...
and Mute Swan
Mute Swan
The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...
. Regular migrants
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
from their breeding grounds north of Usedom that may be seen in shallow water are the Tufted Duck
Tufted Duck
The Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is a medium-sized diving duck with a population of close to one million birds.- Description :The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name.The adult female is brown with paler...
, Scaup
Greater Scaup
The Greater Scaup , just Scaup in Europe, or colloquially known as "Bluebill", for its bright blue bill, is small compared to other diving ducks, however it is larger than the closely related Lesser Scaup...
, Eider Duck
Common Eider
The Common Eider, Somateria mollissima, is a large sea-duck that is distributed over the northern coasts of Europe, North America and eastern Siberia. It breeds in Arctic and some northern temperate regions, but winters somewhat farther south in temperate zones, when it can form large flocks on...
, Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
The Common Goldeneye is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. Their closest relative is the similar Barrow's Goldeneye....
, Long-tailed Duck
Long-tailed Duck
The Long-tailed Duck or Oldsquaw is a medium-sized sea duck. It is the only living member of its genus, Clangula; this was formerly used for the goldeneyes, with the Long-tailed Duck being placed in Harelda...
, Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
The Red-breasted Merganser is a diving duck.-Taxonomy:The Red-breasted Merganser was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae.-Description:...
und Common Merganser
Common Merganser
The Common Merganser or Goosander Mergus merganser is a large duck, of rivers and lakes of forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. It eats fish and nests in holes in trees...
.
Nature conservation
On 12 December 1957 Streckelsberg was designated as a nature reserve, which today is the Usedom Island Nature ParkUsedom Island Nature Park
The Usedom Island Nature Park comprises the entire island of Usedom in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on its border with Poland...
. The state of the terrain is classified as satisfactory, because parts of it are used for forestry
Koserow Observation Tower
The Koserow Observation Tower was a WehrmachtWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
observation tower on the Streckelsberg built in the late 1930s for observers of air raids (e.g., on the ports of Swinemünde and Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
). The tower's observation deck later had a cinetheodolite
Cinetheodolite
A cinetheodolite is a photographic instrument for collection of trajectory data. It can be used to acquire data in the testing of missiles, rockets, projectiles, aircraft, and fire control systems; in the ripple firing of rockets, graze action tests, air burst fuze tests, and similar operations...
for the optical tracking of missile tests from Peenemünde-West
Peenemünde Airfield
Peenemünde Airfield is an airfield along the Baltic Sea north of Peenemünde, Germany. Today round trips in light aircraft take place from Peenemünde Airfield. Bus tours are also available, on which one can visit the former shelters of the NVA and the remnants of the of the V-1 flying bomb...
(e.g., V-1 flying bomb) and the Peenemünde Army Research Center (V-2 rocket).