Südheide Nature Park
Encyclopedia
Lüneburg Heath
The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...
in North Germany. It has been designated as a protected nature park
Nature park
A nature park is a landscape protected by means of long-term planning, use and agriculture. These valuable landscapes are preserved in their present state and promoted for touristic purposes....
since 1964.
Location
Lüneburg Heath
The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...
, in the northeastern part of Celle district, beginning a few kilometres north of Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
itself. From there it stretches northwards, between the towns of Bergen to the west, Faßberg
Faßberg
Faßberg is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 35 km north of Celle, and 30 km west of Uelzen.-Places of interest:* Historic village centre of Müden * Berlin Airlift memorial* St...
to the north and Weyhausen and Steinhorst to the east. The other towns in the nature park are Eschede
Eschede
Eschede is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Situated approximately 15 km northeast of Celle, Eschede lies at the border of the renowned Südheide Nature Park, a protected area of large forests and heaths. Today around 20 small villages are part of the...
, Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg is a municipality in the Celle district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the River Örtze, approx. 15 kilometers east of Bergen and 30 kilometers north of Celle.-Division of the municipality:...
, Müden (Örtze)
Müden (Örtze)
Müden is a village in the municipality of Faßberg in the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath in the German state of Lower Saxony.The village, which is situated in the county of Celle has around 2220 inhabitants and is a very popular tourist centre, whose catchment area includes Hamburg, Bremen and...
, Unterlüß
Unterlüß
Unterlüß is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km northeast of Celle, and 25 km southwest of Uelzen....
, Eldingen
Eldingen
Eldingen is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
and, on the edge of the park, Winsen an der Aller.
The borders of the nature park are not identical with the term Südheide used in local parlance. That refers to the region south of a line from Munster to Uelzen to Gifhorn. Northwest of the Südheide Nature Park is the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park
Lüneburg Heath Nature Park
In the north of the area known as the Lüneburg Heath in northern Germany, lies the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park with an area of...
and, north of that, the Nordheide
Nordheide
The Nordheide is the northernmost part of the Lüneburg Heath in Germany. It runs from the Harburg Hills to the municipality of Handeloh. South of that lies the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park and the Südheide with the Südheide Nature Park...
("North Heath") with its nature park on the Harburg Hills
Harburg Hills
The Harburg Hills are a low ridge in the northeastern part of the German state of Lower Saxony and the southern part of the city state of Hamburg...
. The whole region is referred to as the Lüneburg Heath (Lüneburger Heide).
Formation and history
The landscape of the nature park was shaped by the ice ageIce 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...
, and the gravels and sands laid down during that time form an undulating to gently rolling terrain, made from areas of 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...
, sheets of ground moraine and the remains of end moraines.
Around the 18th and 19th centuries, coniferous forests were planted on the nutrient-poor sands of the geest
Geest (topography)
Geest is a type of slightly raised landscape that occurs in the plains of in Northern Germany, the Northern Netherlands and Denmark. It is a landscape of sandy and gravelly soils, usually mantled by a heathland vegetation, comprising glacial deposits left behind after the last ice age during the...
in the region of the present-day nature park. Formerly, only soils containing more clay could be used for arable farming, something which explains the sparse settlement of the area with its scattered hamlets and few transport routes. With the introduction of inorganic fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
in the 19th century even barren, sandy soils could be used to farm crops. As a result the hitherto extensive heathlands were largely transformed into farmland.
Between 1863 and 1994 the highly versatile mineral, kieselgur, was extracted and worked at 5 places in the area of the nature park.
Description
The Südheide Nature Park is part of one of the largest contiguous wooded areas in Germany, and is dominated mainly by pinePine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
and spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
. Parts of former royal forests such as the Lüßwald (Lüß Forest) in the northeast of the nature park, still have old 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:...
and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
stands.
Of special importance within the park are the 525 hectares (1,297.3 acre) of heathland which are almost entirely covered in heather
Calluna
Calluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
(Calluna vulgaris). Cross-leaved heath
Erica tetralix
Erica tetralix is a species of heather found in Atlantic areas of Europe, from southern Portugal to central Norway, as well as a number of boggy regions further from the coast in Central Europe. In bogs, wet heaths and damp coniferous woodland, Erica tetralix can become a dominant part of the flora...
is only found occasionally, in damper places. These areas are the remnants of the vast heathlands of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
that stretched from Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
to Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
. They have now been protected, either as nature reserves, or as part of the European ecological network
Ecological network
An ecological network is a representation of the biotic interactions in an ecosystem, in which species are connected by pairwise interactions . These interactions can be trophic or symbiotic...
, 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 district of Celle in the east central part of 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...
is responsible for the nature park which was founded in 1964. Almost all of the park's terrain is designated as a protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
and it also contains several more strictly protected nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s, some of European importance. The largest is the Lutter nature reserve ((Lachte- Lutter area)
Lutter (Lachte)
The Lutter is a small river in the Lüneburg Heath, Lower Saxony, Germany, right tributary of the Lachte. It has its source near Weyhausen, 7 km southeast of Unterlüß. It passes Bargfeld , Eldingen, and Luttern. It flows into the river Lachte at Jarnsen, near Lachendorf, east of Celle....
with a total area of 2435.3 hectares (6,017.8 acre). Other large nature reserves within the park are the Weesener Bach
Weesener Bach
The Weesener Bach, also called the Lutterbach, is a tributary of the river Örtze in northern Germany. It rises in the Südheide Nature Park, south of the village of Lutterloh near Unterlüß, then flows through the Hermannsburg village of Weesen and enters the Örtze north of Hermannsburg after about...
with 348 hectares (859.9 acre), the Central Lüß Plateau Heathland (Tiefental) with 293 hectares (724 acre) and the Bornrieth Moor
Bornrieth Moor
The Bornrieth Moor is the remains of a raised bog in the German district of Celle and belongs to the Südheide Nature Park. It has an area of . The bog, which has had most of its peat extracted, was reflooded and placed under nature conservation protection in 1988. The moor was also designated as a...
with 115 hectares (284.2 acre). Today 65% of the Südheide Nature Park is made up of woodlands. The park management looks after the preservation of the heathland, including grazing it with herds of moorland sheep, the Heidschnucke
Heidschnucke
The Heidschnucke is a group of three types of moorland sheep from northern Germany. Like a number of other types from Scandinavia and Great Britain, they are Northern European short-tailed sheep...
. Where that is not sufficient, machines are also used in the plaggen cultivation of the heath.
Beekeeping
Like other parts of the Lüneburg Heath the Südheide Nature Park is a traditional region for heath beekeepingHeath beekeeping
Heath beekeeping was a specialist form of beekeeping, which was intensively practised by beekeepers on the Lüneburg Heath from the Middle Ages until the 19th century, but which is now very rarely encountered...
to produce heather honey.
During the period whenn heather is in bloom, beekeeper
Beekeeper
A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen, royal jelly; pollinating fruits and vegetables; raising queens and bees for sale to other farmers; and/or for purposes satisfying natural scientific curiosity...
s bring their beehives from regions a long way off to the heath areas. Some of the hives are set up in fixed so-called bee enclosures (Bienenständen). Very rarely the Lüneburg Skep (Lüneburger Stülper) may be found, a basket in the shape of a bell, or the rectangular Kanitz basket (Kanitzkorb), both made of straw which is sealed with a mixture of cow dung
Cow dung
Cow dung is the waste product of bovine animal species. These species include domestic cattle , bison , yak and water buffalo. Cow dung is the undigested residue of plant matter which has passed through the animal's gut. The resultant faecal matter is rich in minerals...
and peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
. These enclosures are still used today by beekeepers to harvest comb honey
Comb honey
Comb honey is honey, intended for consumption, which still contains pieces of the hexagonal-shaped beeswax cells of the honeycomb.Before the invention of the honey extractor almost all honey produced was in the form of comb honey...
. In the mid-1920s the so-called Kanitz baskets appeared, named after the beekeeper and teacher, Kanitz (1815–1899). He discovered that the bell-shaped baskets commonly used at the time were less effective for colony management.
The old basket types of beehive have been largely superseded these days by boxes made of wood or plastic which are easier to carry. The plastic Langstroth hive
Langstroth hive
The Langstroth bee hive, patented in October 1852, is the standard beehive used in many parts of the world for beekeeping. The advantage of this hive is that the bees build honeycomb into frames, which can be moved with ease. The frames are designed to prevent bees from attaching honeycombs where...
which are now common in North Germany are simply set up on the heathland when the heather blooms.
Geography and flora
The near-natural heath streams of the ÖrtzeÖrtze
The Örtze is a river in the North German state of Lower Saxony, which rises north of Munster in the Große Heide and, after , joins the Aller southeast of Winsen.- Source and course :...
, Weesener Bach
Weesener Bach
The Weesener Bach, also called the Lutterbach, is a tributary of the river Örtze in northern Germany. It rises in the Südheide Nature Park, south of the village of Lutterloh near Unterlüß, then flows through the Hermannsburg village of Weesen and enters the Örtze north of Hermannsburg after about...
, Aschau, Lutter
Lutter (Lachte)
The Lutter is a small river in the Lüneburg Heath, Lower Saxony, Germany, right tributary of the Lachte. It has its source near Weyhausen, 7 km southeast of Unterlüß. It passes Bargfeld , Eldingen, and Luttern. It flows into the river Lachte at Jarnsen, near Lachendorf, east of Celle....
and Lachte
Lachte
The Lachte is a roughly long right-hand tributary of the River Aller in the Südheide Nature Park in the north German state of Lower Saxony.- Course :The Lachte rises in the northern part of the district of Gifhorn southwest of Sprakensehl...
run through the park and provide a home for otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
s, trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and freshwater pearl mussel
Freshwater pearl mussel
The freshwater pearl mussel, scientific name Margaritifera margaritifera, is an endangered species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusc in the family Margaritiferidae....
s. Many endangered species of plant and animal have also found a habitat in these streams, sections of which lie within nature reserves. The sources of these heath streams often lie in idyllic bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s on the heath. The Örtze is popular with boaters due to its many meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
s.
The Lutter and its tributary streams, the Schmalwasser
Schmalwasser
The Schmalwasser is a large heath stream on the southern edge of the Lüneburg Heath. The brook rises near Blickwedel, winds southwards, is joined from the left by the Räderbach and discharges into the Lutter in the village of Bargfeld .The story Die Wasserstraße by Arno Schmidt is about a walk up...
and Ahrbeck, and the Lachte
Lachte
The Lachte is a roughly long right-hand tributary of the River Aller in the Südheide Nature Park in the north German state of Lower Saxony.- Course :The Lachte rises in the northern part of the district of Gifhorn southwest of Sprakensehl...
, which flow through the eastern part of the Südheide Nature Park, form an extensive river system covering an area of about 2450 hectares (9.5 sq mi) which has been designated as a nature reserve. The region is of particular importance for nature conservation on the Südheide as it is in an almost natural state. As well as the brooks with their fish and otters, there are also adjacent water meadows and carr
Carr (topography)
A carr is a type of waterlogged, wooded terrain that, typically, represents a succession stage between the original reedy swamp and the eventual formation of forest in a sub-maritime climate....
s, bogs, marshes and river source areas, in which birds such as 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...
, sea eagle
Sea Eagle
Sea eagle mainly refers to Sea eagle, birds of prey of the genus Haliaeetus.It may also refer to:-Aerospace:* Sea Eagle , British, anti-ship missile* Sea Eagle * Supermarine Sea Eagle, 1920s British passenger flying boat-Sports:...
and crane
Common Crane
The Common Crane , also known as the Eurasian Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes.It is a large, stately bird and a medium-sized crane at 100–130 cm long, with a 180–240 cm wingspan and a weight of 4.5–6 kg...
are found as well as rare river dragonflies, like the small red damselfly
Small Red Damselfly
The Small Red Damselfly, Ceriagrion tenellum, is a small damselfly flying in heathland bogs and streams. It is in the family Coenagrionidae.-Identification:...
which is threatened with extinction and the severely endangered keeled skimmer
Keeled Skimmer
The Keeled Skimmer, Orthetrum coerulescens, is a species of European dragonfly. This species resembles the Black-tailed Skimmer but is slimmer and the male has no black tip. Females and immature males lack the black abdominal pattern...
. Over 160 endangered animal and plant species live by and in these heath streams. Especially significant are the last remaining colonies of the Northwest European freshwater pearl mussel
Freshwater pearl mussel
The freshwater pearl mussel, scientific name Margaritifera margaritifera, is an endangered species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusc in the family Margaritiferidae....
, which makes very high demands on the quality of its habitat.
The Bundesamt für Naturschutz
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation
The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation is the German government’s scientific authority with responsibility for national and international nature conservation...
, the state of Lower Saxony and the districts of Celle and Gifhorn have supported this nature conservation project since 1989.
One of the highest elevations, and a popular viewing point in the nature park, is the Haußelberg
Haußelberg
The Haußelberg is a above NN high hill in the Lüneburg Heath in the north German district of Celle. It is a popular viewing point in the otherwise very flat terrain of the Südheide Nature Park....
at 119.1 metres above NN. There are still a few intact raised bogs, notably the Bornrieth Moor
Bornrieth Moor
The Bornrieth Moor is the remains of a raised bog in the German district of Celle and belongs to the Südheide Nature Park. It has an area of . The bog, which has had most of its peat extracted, was reflooded and placed under nature conservation protection in 1988. The moor was also designated as a...
near Oldendorf, but also the small bogs near Hetendorf and Müden/Örtze, that have colonies of protected plants like the sundew, the bog-asphodel, the bistort
Persicaria bistorta
Persicaria bistorta is a herbaceous flowering plant found throughout Europe. The generic placement of this species is in flux. While treated here as in Persicaria, it has also been placed in Polygonum or Bistorta.The Latin name "bistorta" refers to the twisted appearance of the root...
and the cottongrass, as well as rare orchids like the Western marsh orchid
Western marsh orchid
The western marsh orchid is a terrestrial European orchid. Its flowering period begins at lower elevations as early as the beginning of May and ends in higher elevations at the end of July...
, das heath spotted orchid
Dactylorhiza maculata
The Heath Spotted Orchid or Moorland Spotted Orchid , is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae.-Etymology:...
, the lesser butterfly orchid
Platanthera bifolia
Platanthera bifolia, commonly known as the Lesser Butterfly-orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus Platanthera, having certain relations with the genus Orchis, where it was previously included and also with the genus Habenaria. It can be found throughout Europe and Morocco...
and the Broad-leaved Helleborine
Epipactis helleborine
Epipactis helleborine is a European orchid that has been introduced to several regions of North America. Its nodding flowers vary from greenish pink to purple, and it prefers shaded woodland environments. More information on this species and others of the genus are at Epipactis.-External links:*...
.
Fauna
Becklingen
Becklingen is a German village in the Lower Saxon borough of Bergen in the northern part of Celle district on the Lüneburg Heath.- Geography :...
. In the vicinity of Unterlüß
Unterlüß
Unterlüß is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km northeast of Celle, and 25 km southwest of Uelzen....
, on the Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. The company has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces...
company's firing range which is not open to the public, a wolf was clearly identified again for the first time in September 2006. In spring 2008 there were two sightings of wolves. In all probability these were not the same animal, so it can be deduced that two wolves have settled here.
The reflooding of the bogs, as part of the Lower Saxon crane conservation programme, has succeeded in re-establishing the common crane (Grus grus) in the area. After a gap of over 20 years two cranes appeared for the first time in the district of Celle. As a result the crane was moved from level 1 (threatened with extinction) on the red list to level 3 (endangered).
Crane population in Celle district
| Year | Resident pairs | Breeding pairs | Young | Year | Resident pairs | Breeding pairs | Young | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1997 | 16 | 13 | 19 | |
| 1987 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1998 | 22 | 19 | 18 | |
| 1988 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1999 | 29 | 20 | 17 | |
| 1989 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2000 | 34 | 23 | 23 | |
| 1990 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2001 | 38 | 24 | 28 | |
| 1991 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2002 | 41 | 26 | 22 | |
| 1992 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 2003 | 42 | 29 | 31 | |
| 1993 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 2004 | 51 | 36 | 33 | |
| 1994 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 2005 | 54 | 46 | 30 | |
| 1995 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 2006 | 55 | 47 | 51 | |
| 1996 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 2007 | 53 | 44 | 49 |
Places of interest
The largest still contiguous areas of heath are found near HermannsburgHermannsburg
Hermannsburg is a municipality in the Celle district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the River Örtze, approx. 15 kilometers east of Bergen and 30 kilometers north of Celle.-Division of the municipality:...
(Central Lüß Plateau Heathland, Tiefental) and between Müden/Örtze and Unterlüß
Unterlüß
Unterlüß is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km northeast of Celle, and 25 km southwest of Uelzen....
in the vicinity of Oberohe. Othe heathlands are located near Müden/Örtze (Wietzer Berg
Wietzer Berg
The Wietzer Berg is a low hill, 102 metres above sea level, on the Lüneburg Heath in the north German district of Celle. It lies about 2 kilometres west-southwest of the tourist village of Müden and is a popular destination in the generally flat landscape of the Südheide Nature Park...
, 102 m) near Schmarbeck (Wacholderwald), near Gerdehaus (Ritterheide), near the Haußelberg
Haußelberg
The Haußelberg is a above NN high hill in the Lüneburg Heath in the north German district of Celle. It is a popular viewing point in the otherwise very flat terrain of the Südheide Nature Park....
(118 m) and near Lutterloh
Lutterloh
'Lutterloh' refers to a pattern drafting system intended for home sewing developed in Germany in the 1930s. The company, which is family owned, is still in business today....
. Three large Heidschnucke
Heidschnucke
The Heidschnucke is a group of three types of moorland sheep from northern Germany. Like a number of other types from Scandinavia and Great Britain, they are Northern European short-tailed sheep...
herds are still tended in the region. One herd is in Niederohe, one in Schmarbeck
Faßberg
Faßberg is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 35 km north of Celle, and 30 km west of Uelzen.-Places of interest:* Historic village centre of Müden * Berlin Airlift memorial* St...
and one near Hermannsburg. They keep the heather short by grazing and also kill off the invasive pines and birches. The Wacholderpark (juniper park) near Schmarbeck is a belt of heathland with juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
bushes. On the Wietzer Berg south of Müden/Örtze there is a monument, the Löns Stone (Lönsstein) which commemorates local author, Hermann Löns
Hermann Löns
Hermann Löns was a German journalist and writer. He is most famous as "The Poet of the Heath" for his novels and poems celebrating the people and landscape of the North German moors, particularly the Lüneburg Heath in Lower Saxony. Löns is well known in Germany for his famous folksongs...
. Between Hermannsburg and Müden/Örtze is a spot where seven paths head off in various directions. In September stags may be seen rutting
Rut (mammalian reproduction)
The rut is the mating season of ruminant animals such as deer, sheep, elk, moose, caribou, ibex, goats, pronghorn and Asian and African antelope....
near Starkshorn (near Eschede). Every year 2 groups (Rudel) of almost 200 hinds gather on the meadows.
Lower Saxony Hurricane of 1972
On 13 November 1972 hurricane Quimburga passed over the Südheide Nature Park and left severe storm damage behind in the woodlands in the form of fallen trees. Due to the enormous damage that the hurricane wrought in Lower Saxony it became known as the Lower Saxony Hurricane.Forest fire of 1975
The fire on the Lüneburg HeathFire on the Lüneburg Heath
The fire on the Lüneburg Heath was a major forest fire in 1975 on the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath in north Germany, with various points of origin near Gifhorn, Eschede and Meinersen. It has been to this day the largest forest fire in the Federal Republic of Germany.- Causes :The fire was...
in 1975 was the largest forest fire in the history of Germany and destroyed large parts of the Südheide Nature Park. One of the sources of the fire developed on 9 August 1975 around 12:50 pm in the area of Unterlüß/Schmarbeck
Unterlüß
Unterlüß is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km northeast of Celle, and 25 km southwest of Uelzen....
. On the following day at 12:30 pm between Eschede
Eschede
Eschede is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Situated approximately 15 km northeast of Celle, Eschede lies at the border of the renowned Südheide Nature Park, a protected area of large forests and heaths. Today around 20 small villages are part of the...
and Oldendorf
Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg is a municipality in the Celle district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the River Örtze, approx. 15 kilometers east of Bergen and 30 kilometers north of Celle.-Division of the municipality:...
near the village of Queloh (Eschede
Eschede
Eschede is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Situated approximately 15 km northeast of Celle, Eschede lies at the border of the renowned Südheide Nature Park, a protected area of large forests and heaths. Today around 20 small villages are part of the...
) another forest fire was reported. In the pine monocultures the fire spread rapidly. On us. 10 August the Lüneburg president explained the disaster situation. The local fire services under the leadership of the Oberkreisdirektors were not longer able to contain the situation. Not until the Bundeswehr took over the operation was the fire fighting coordinated professionally. On 18 August the worst outbreak was under control and the emergency could be declared over.
About 6,000 hectares of woodland, moor and heath were ravaged by the fire.
Consequences for the nature park
In reforesting the areas destroyed by storm and forest fire it was initially thought that pine monocultures should be abandoned. More deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
trees (oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s 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:...
) should be planted. Soil investigations revealed, however, that deciduous trees would only be able to establish in a few places due to the poor sandy soil. The forest fire had also destroyed much of the available humus soil. On the edge of the forests, larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
was planted in places in order to act as fire protection. Otherwise the scorched areas were again uniformly reforested with pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
s.
In order to be better equipped for future forest fires, metalled tracks were built exclusively for fire engines. At lakes, fish ponds or gravel pits in the area, water take-off points were installed. In addition new water storage ponds for firefighting were built in the Südheide. Where there are no rivers for water collection, old heating oil tanks were used as water supply tanks, each with between 20,000 and 100,000 litres of water in the ground.