Gehspitzweiher near Neu-Isenburg

Gehspitzweiher near Neu-Isenburg IUCN Category IV - Habitat / Species Management Area
Gehspitzweiher near Neu-Isenburg
location	Neu-Isenburg , Hessen , Germany
surface	24.62 hectares
Identifier	1438005
WDPA ID	81720
Geographical location	50 ° 3 '  N , 8 ° 39'  E Coordinates: 50 ° 2 '32 "  N , 8 ° 38' 50"  E
Setup date	1981
administration	Lower nature conservation authority in the Offenbach district

The nature reserve Gehspitzweiher near Neu-Isenburg (NSG identification 1438005) is located in the Hessian district of Offenbach . The nature reserve, located in the forest between Zeppelinheim and Neu-Isenburg , covers an area of ​​around 25 hectares , which is owned by the City of Frankfurt . It is a former excavation pit, which was initially created through the exploitation of clay deposits, later sand and gravel by the Philipp Holzmann company. In the meantime used as a bathing lake, the area was protected in 1981.

Area description

The nature reserve is located south-west of Neu-Isenburg in the forest area between the B 44 and Main-Neckar-Bahn south of the L 3117. The north-south length is about one kilometer, the width usually fluctuates between 200 and 300 meters. The pit floor is approx. 20 meters below the level of the surrounding area. The nature reserve Gehspitzweiher is very valuable due to its biodiversity. 98 different species of birds have been observed here, including sandpiper, osprey, falcon, common snipe, little grebe, great crested grebe and kingfisher. Eight amphibian species also live in and around the Gehspitzweiher: mountain newt, pond newt, common toad, natterjack toad, tree frog, agile frog, water frog and common frog. There are also 20 species of grasshopper, 26 species of dragonfly, 18 species of butterfly, various ground beetles, hymenoptera and, last but not least, various mammals, especially bats. Of the insects that have found a new habitat here, the blue-winged wasteland shrimp ( Oedipoda caerulescens ) and 25 species of dragonflies, including the ornamental moss damsel ( Leucorrhinia caudalis ) discovered in 2009 , are particularly noteworthy. In addition, around 250 plant species were found in the NSG.

history

In the 18th century, the mining of clay in the old Heegwald was approved for a brick factory located there. In 1872, the Philipp Holzmann company acquired ten acres of arable land on Sprendlinger Weg and all the facilities for brick production. The small business developed into an extensive factory with a rail connection to Neu-Isenburg. From 1945 onwards, clay mining was replaced by the decade-long mining of deeper gravel with dredging. From the beginning of the 1960s, illegal, unregulated swimming was first observed, later there was a cordoned off swimming area and plans by the city of Frankfurt to build a regatta course and a hotel. From 1969 onwards, the groundwater level was found to have dropped by around five meters, which left a bare, sandy pit floor with a few smaller bodies of water. The pit could no longer be used commercially as a bathing lake, and the city of Frankfurt's plans had to be discarded. The appearance of the little ringed plover and other rare bird species as well as the natterjack toads aroused the interest of ornithologists and other nature conservationists, who prepared an initial report. Around 1970, the gravel mining was essentially stopped. In 1976 a recess was made in the bottom of the pit to stabilize the fish population. In 1977 the Hessian Society for Ornithology and Nature Conservation (HGON) applied for designation as a nature reserve (NSG). From 1977 a recultivation took place by afforestation of the southern and eastern slopes of the pit with gray alder , locust , pine and sea ​​buckthorn . By ordinance of November 20, 1981, it was designated as a nature reserve.

Aerial photo of the Gehspitzweiher, view from the southwest. The Frankfurt skyline on the horizon

Protection purpose

The purpose of protection is to secure a valuable retreat in the succession stage for endangered amphibian and plant species. In 2016 an attempt was made to develop a new protection concept in order to serve the interests of nature conservation and the public as much as possible.

See also

• List of nature reserves in the Offenbach district

literature

• Ernst, M. (1977): Preliminary plant-sociological and floristic report on the protection of the "Gehspitzweiher" as a nature reserve, report, Chair for Landscape Ecology at the Technical University of Munich, (unpublished)
• Große-Brauckmann, G. (1980): The "Gehspitzweiher" and its plant cover "- report, opinion, suggestions, expert opinion, BfN Darmstadt, (unpublished)
• Schwevers, U. et al. (1995): Maintenance plan for the Gehspitzweiher nature reserve, report, Institute for Applied Ecology, Kirtorf-Wahlen, Frankfurt, (unpublished)

Web links

Commons : Gehspitzweiher  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Gehspitzweiher nature reserve. Naturschutzbund local group Neu-Isenburg. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
2. ↑ Birds should rest and breed in peace and quiet in FAZ of July 29, 2016, page 43