Leipzig Riverside Forest


Leipzig Riverside Forest is one of the largest lowland Riparian forests in Central Europe, lying mostly within the city limits of Leipzig city in Germany. The nature reserve is partially covered with bottomland forest and contains a large variety of endangered species.

Location

In total, the Leipzig Riverside Forest has an extension along the rivers White Elster, Pleiße and Luppe of a good and a width of. It is divided into separate southern and northern parts, between which is a corridor containing many parks and green areas that lie along the Elsterbecken and Pleißeflutbett waters, which were created for flood protection.
Since the end of the 1950s, the Leipzig Riverside Forest is a Landschaftsschutzgebiet and several parts are Naturschutzgebiet.
In the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the protected area covers even though the densely wooded area is estimated at only, of which are state area managed by the municipality of Leipzig.

History

The Leipzig Riverside Forst has been constantly changing, with human intervention being a major factor in its development. In the older Holocene, the valley floor level was much lower than it is today. Due to clearing in the upper reaches of the rivers, an increased input of sediments began anthropogenically about 7000 years ago, which were deposited as alluvial loam. As a result, the surface level increased.

Flora and fauna

Plants

Originally, the hardwood forest hosted more elms and black poplars which have become rare over the years, however the amount of old oaks with massive stems is still remarkable. The mixed forest contains many different tree species, almost half of them are either ash, maple or sycamore maple. Also found are small-leaved linden, common horn beam and various kinds of willows.
In spring, the ground is covered with wild garlic, sprinkled with spring snowflakes and corydalis in colors ranging from white and pink to purple. Some rather rare plants like the Geum rivale can also be found in the wet, almost swampy parts of the area.

Animals

The common kingfisher has become quite rare in Germany, especially due to loss of habitat and as a result some waterways are closed-off from tourist paddling during the breeding season.
Inhabiting the forest are red squirrels and a multitude of woodpeckers, such as the great spotted woodpecker, as well as the black woodpecker and the European green woodpecker.

Literature

  • ENEDAS e. V./ Autorenkollektiv: Der Leipziger Auwald. Ein Natur- und Erlebnisführer. Edition Leipzig, 2013,.
  • Gerd K. Müller: Die Leipziger Auen. Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Landesentwicklung, Dresden, 1995.