Dresden Elbe valley slopes

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Nature reserve Dresden Elbe valley slopes

IUCN Category IV - Habitat / Species Management Area

The Keppgrund

The Keppgrund

location Dresden , Saxony , Germany
surface 203.6 ha
Identifier D 104
WDPA ID 378065
Geographical location 51 ° 1 '  N , 13 ° 53'  E Coordinates: 51 ° 0 '56 "  N , 13 ° 53' 7"  E
Dresden Elbe Valley slopes (Saxony)
Dresden Elbe valley slopes
Setup date 2007

The Dresden Elbe valley slopes are a nature reserve (NSG) in Saxony .

geography

location

The nature reserve is largely located in the Dresden city area (195.0 hectares), only a small part of it is in the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district . It includes the Elbe valley slope on the right Elbe from Tiefen Grund, southeast of the Borsberg location, to Pressgrund, west of the Rockau settlement area . The Dresden Elbe slopes consist of the grounds, the valley valleys and the slopes that border north of the urban bands of Oberpoyritz , Pillnitz , Hosterwitz and Niederpoyritz and flow into the Schönfeld highlands .

The 203.60 hectare protected area with the NSG number D 104 belongs to the natural area of West Lusatian hills and mountains . It contains the former nature reserve Borsberghang and Friedrichsgrund . The northwest-southeast extension is about 4.5 km with an average width of 200 m to 500 m.

climate

The Dresden Elbe valley slopes are steeply exposed to the south to southwest and are therefore characterized by a dry, warm climate. The structured side bottoms, on the other hand, are characterized by a rather cool and humid climate.

Flora and fauna

The south-west exposed, wooded slopes of the Elbe valley on the right have near-natural stands of acidic sessile oaks - beech forests , oak-hornbeam forests and maple-shaded forests as well as pine relict sites. There are also rocks and species-rich rough meadows . The Dresden Elbe slopes are located in a trans-regionally significant transition area between the Dresden Elbe valley widening and the Schönfeld highlands. The diverse natural features of the forest and open land area are home to numerous rare and endangered animal and plant species as well as biotopes.

The nature reserve is part of the coherent European network of special protected areas Natura 200 0. The Dresden Elbe slopes are located in the Fauna-Flora-Habitat -Area (FFH area) Elbe valley slopes between Loschwitz and Bonnewitz .

flora

Description of vegetation

The overhang portions of the protected area are characterized by colline grapes oak beech hornbeam (Luzulo-Fagetum) , which in part by very powerful and cave rich beech trees are characterized (Fagus sylvatica).

On the upper slopes there are often dry birch and sessile oak forests and thermophilic Pechnelken sessile oak forests (Luzulo-Quercetum petraeae) . The following plant species are found in the lower layer:

In the past, at least part of the forest was managed as coppice  with short rotation times. The stunted growth of the grape oak (Quercus petraea) indicates this. The oak liver screech (Fistulina hepatica) -  a distinctive red tree fungus - can often be seen on these weakened trees .

Rock sites such as the open rock heads - consisting of two-mica granodiorite - offer rare, light-loving species suitable site conditions. Step here u. a. the following plant species:

Habitat types in the FFH area

The following habitat types represent conservation objectives of the FFH area in the area of ​​the Dresden Elbe valley slopes and are therefore subject to an increased protection status:

  • Luzulo -Buchenwälder,
  • Bedstraw -Eichen-hornbeam forests,
  • Mixed ravine and hillside forests as well
  • Alder and ash forests and softwood forests on flowing waters.

fauna

In the Dresden slopes of the Elbe there are also the two bat species, the great mouse- eared bat ( Myotis myotis ) and the lesser horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus hipposideros ), as well as the rare deadwood beetle hermit ( Osmoderma eremita ). The three animal species mentioned are included in Annex II of the Habitats Directive and represent conservation objectives for the FFH area. 

Avifauna

The Dresden Elbe slopes offer suitable habitats for numerous breeding birds. A population of 55 breeding bird species was recorded in the nature reserve. The following types occur with varying frequency and continuity:

Herpetofauna

Occurrences of the following reptile and amphibian species are herpetologically significant :

insects

The occurrence of the following types of beetles is particularly relevant entomologically:

The diverse structured habitats on the slopes of the Elbe Valley, especially forests and bushes, offer 35 butterfly species suitable habitat conditions:

Care concept

The following principles have been developed for the maintenance and development of the nature reserve and are anchored in the protected area ordinance:

  • The forest stands are to be used individually or in groups ( Femelhiebe / Femelwald ) so that natural, stable, age-differentiated and multi-level permanent forest structures are established. 
  • The old beech and oak stocks are to be managed like permanent forests and the proportion of dead wood is to be increased. The mixed deciduous forest stands are to be enriched with tree hollows. 
  • In order to protect particularly valuable steep slopes and valley gorges, the establishment of a total reserve of around 80 hectares is recommended.
  • Near-natural small ponds are to be preserved and developed as spawning and reproduction waters for protected animal species. 

Attractions

Keppmühle

The historic Keppmühle is located in the wild and romantic Keppgrund and is still preserved today. The mill is said to have inspired Carl Maria von Weber for the famous Wolfsschlucht scene in Freischütz .

Viewpoints and visual relationships

In the nature reserve there are numerous vantage points with attractive views and lines of sight of the backdrop of Dresden and the historical ensemble of Pillnitz Castle with the castle garden and the baroque pleasure garden.

Hiking area

The nature reserve serves as a hiking and recreation area for the Upper Elbe Valley settlement area .

Viticulture

Due to the southern orientation of the slopes, viticulture could be practiced on the climatically favorable locations in today's forest areas until the phylloxera infestation around 1900. Today remains of dry stone walls on some slopes indicate this historical form of use.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Sebastian Schmidt: Environmental Atlas: Protected Areas According to the Nature Conservation Act. (PDF) City of Dresden, Environment Agency, June 2014, accessed on December 25, 2017 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h Ordinance of the Dresden Regional Council establishing the nature reserve "Dresden Elbe Valley slopes". Saxon State Chancellery, January 19, 2007, accessed December 24, 2017 .
  3. ↑ Interactive map and map overview of the protected areas. Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology, accessed on December 26, 2017 .
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Friedemann Klenke: Changes in the existence of nature reserves in Saxony in 2007. In: State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (Ed.): Nature conservation work in Saxony 2008 . 1st edition. No. 50. , November 2008, pp. 52 f .
  5. ^ Elbe valley slopes between Loschwitz and Bonnewitz. (PDF) Landesdirektion Dresden, January 14, 2011, accessed on December 25, 2017 .
  6. ↑ Further information on the relevant area. (PDF) Bund Naturschutz, accessed on December 26, 2017 .

Web links

Commons : Dresden Elbe Valley slopes  - collection of images, videos and audio files