Naturpark Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft
In the Nature Park Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft, Brandenburg's southernmost large nature reserve, cultural landscapes of partly bizarre appearance have been created by lignite mining in the last hundred years. In many places valuable habitats for specialized animal and plant species were created. In the areas where former open-cast mines were rehabilitated, visitors can now find attractive local recreation areas. The heart of the nature park is the nature reserve "Forsthaus Prösa" with its large forest and heathland areas. At the end of August, the heather blossom transforms the landscape into a purple carpet of flowers that reaches to the horizon. On Kremser trips and bike tours you can experience the heartily dressed shepherd with his herd of heather sheep. The herd helps to prevent the heath from growing over on an area of about 350 hectares in the nature reserve. The open heath areas are the habitat of species such as woodlark, hoopoe and gravelbank grasshopper, which specialise in this biotope type.
Near Döllingen and Hohenleipisch is Brandenburg's largest orchard area, which is an attraction especially in spring when trees are in bloom. In Döllingen you will find the "Pomologische Schau- und Lehrgarten", an "Apfel-Lust-Garten", the jewel of the fruit-growing region. About 400 apple, pear, cherry and plum trees and so-called Beiobst, such as nuts and peaches, can be found on an area of about 3 hectares. Traditional farming methods are shown on fruit fields and orchards. The cultivation of fruit orchards is the focus of the Döllingen nature trail. There is also information about the history of the village and its surroundings: about the former manor, the windmill, the church and the mining tradition.
In the nature reserve "Der Loben" you will find the animal and plant species typical of moorland, while cranes use the moorland as their preferred breeding ground. Since 1981 the praise is under nature protection. Hikers encounter a varied landscape of meadows, pine and mixed forests, open water areas and swamps. A round tour in praise is recommended, on which one also gets to see the old peat cutting and their fascinating animal world.
Another nature reserve, the post-mining landscape Grünhaus, has meanwhile developed into a true bird paradise. Here you can observe numerous Red List species such as the Tawny Pipit and the Hoopoe.
The nature park is particularly easy to discover on the numerous cycling and hiking routes. For bird lovers, we recommend the Stork Trail, which not only shows stork nests, but also provides information on love life, flight performance and the dangers to which the large character birds are exposed on their long journeys.
The bathing water of the Grünewald leek, in which coal was still mined about a quarter of a century ago, is today the largest lake in the nature park with 6 kilometres of beaches and 100 hectares of bathing area. In spring and autumn many bird species such as geese, coots, teals and heron ducks use the leek as a resting place on their migration. Visitors will find another charming bathing lake in the local recreation area of Zeischa.
Near Döllingen and Hohenleipisch is Brandenburg's largest orchard area, which is an attraction especially in spring when trees are in bloom. In Döllingen you will find the "Pomologische Schau- und Lehrgarten", an "Apfel-Lust-Garten", the jewel of the fruit-growing region. About 400 apple, pear, cherry and plum trees and so-called Beiobst, such as nuts and peaches, can be found on an area of about 3 hectares. Traditional farming methods are shown on fruit fields and orchards. The cultivation of fruit orchards is the focus of the Döllingen nature trail. There is also information about the history of the village and its surroundings: about the former manor, the windmill, the church and the mining tradition.
In the nature reserve "Der Loben" you will find the animal and plant species typical of moorland, while cranes use the moorland as their preferred breeding ground. Since 1981 the praise is under nature protection. Hikers encounter a varied landscape of meadows, pine and mixed forests, open water areas and swamps. A round tour in praise is recommended, on which one also gets to see the old peat cutting and their fascinating animal world.
Another nature reserve, the post-mining landscape Grünhaus, has meanwhile developed into a true bird paradise. Here you can observe numerous Red List species such as the Tawny Pipit and the Hoopoe.
The nature park is particularly easy to discover on the numerous cycling and hiking routes. For bird lovers, we recommend the Stork Trail, which not only shows stork nests, but also provides information on love life, flight performance and the dangers to which the large character birds are exposed on their long journeys.
The bathing water of the Grünewald leek, in which coal was still mined about a quarter of a century ago, is today the largest lake in the nature park with 6 kilometres of beaches and 100 hectares of bathing area. In spring and autumn many bird species such as geese, coots, teals and heron ducks use the leek as a resting place on their migration. Visitors will find another charming bathing lake in the local recreation area of Zeischa.