Wurzacher Ried
Quick facts
- European Diploma of Protected Areas (code DE940008)
- Since 1989
- Country: Germany
- Administrative region: Not available
- Surface area: 18 km2 (1812.00 ha)
- Marine area: Not available
Source and more information: Council of Europe
Description
Site contact authorities
| Manager | H. Wälder, Regierungspräsidium Tübingen RDr. B. Schall, Bezirksstelle für Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege Horts Weisser, Naturschutzzentrum Bad Wurzach |
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| Information | Regierungspräsidium Tübingen Höhere Naturschutzbehörde Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 20 D-72072 Tübingen Naturschutzzentrum Bad Wurzach Rosengarten 1 D-88410 Bad Wurzach Bezirksstelle für Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 20 D-72072 |
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Description
| General character of the site | Wurzacher Ried is an area of extensive moorland in which mires of every type are perfectly preserved. It is the largest intact raised bog of Central Europe, an exemplary relic of the early landscape that developed after the last ice age. It is situated in the Land of Baden-Württemberg in Upper Swabia (Oberschwaben). |
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| Quality | The Wurzacher Ried covers 1731 ha of moorland. The area includes two almost undisturbed raised bogs, the Haidgauer raised bog and the Alberser raised bog, and several more or less disturbed raised bogs. The raised bogs are surrounded by transition mires and several different forms of fens. Two creeks, Haidgauer Ach and Dietmannser Ach, rise within and run through the Wurzacher Ried.In the protected area a high number of species have been identified (between parentheses: endangered or rare species):510 (128) species of vascular plants, 114 (33) species of bird breeding within the area, 88 (26) species of carabides, 61 (25) species of butterflies, 52 (27) species of dragonflies, 25 (11) species of grasshoppers, 8 (3) species of amphibians and 5 (3) species of reptiles. |
| Vulnerability | Peat quarrying (permit expires in 1995) and preparatory land drainage operations. Indirect damage from fertilisers used on the neighbouring farmland. Pressure of tourism, exploitation of forests, hunting. |
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| Owner | 97% of the Wurzacher Ried is publicly owned. |
| Documentation | -Council of Europe - European Diploma Series (1989), Wurzacher Ried Nature Reserve - Federal Republic of Germany, Strasbourg, 19 p.-Böcker, R. (Hrsg. 1997b), Erfolgskontrolle im Naturschutz am Beispiel des Moorkomplexes Wurzacher Ried. - Agrarforschung in Baden-Württemberg 28, 336 S., Stuttgart; ISSN 1430-6719-Naturschutzzentrum Bad Wurzach (Hrsg.), Zehn Jahre Projekt Wurzacher Ried, Internationale Fachtagung zur Erhaltung und Regeneration von Moorgebieten, 6-9 Oktober 1997, Bad Wurzach - Weikersheim, ISBN 3-8236-1271-9-Weisser, H., Schall, B. & Schanz, R. (1998), Naturschutzgroßprojekt Wurzacher Ried, Baden-Württemberg.- Natur u. Landschaft, 73, (7/8): 350-357; Stuttgart, ISSN 0028-0615 |
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| Geomorphology | The Wurzacher Ried is located within the Wurzach basin, a depression caused by the movement of the Alpin Riss-glaciers. In this depression peat developed. The layers of peat reach a mightiness of maximum 5,5 m fen peat and 4-5 m moor peat. The mires are bordered by moraine deposits. |
| Educational interest | The information centre (Naturschutzzentrum) is at Bad Wurzach. Offers to the visitors are:-permanent exhibition about flora, fauna and the genesis of the Wurzacher Ried, -guided tours through the Wurzacher Ried,-special guided tours and lessons for classes ('class room in the Wurzacher Ried'),-lectures on the Wurzacher Ried. |
| Cultural heritage | At Bad Wurzbach, the residence of the Princes of Waldburg-Wurzach is remeniscent of Escurial in Spain. Former peat quarries are visible. The Bad Wurzach spa resort began using peat in 1936. |
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| URL official | http://www.bad-wurzach.de/ried.htm |
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