Königsforst (bird sanctuary)

	EU bird sanctuary "Königsforst"
location	Cologne , Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis , North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany
Identifier	DE-5008-401
WDPA ID	555537598
Natura 2000 ID	DE-5008-401
Bird sanctuary	25.173 km²
Geographical location	50 ° 56 ' N , 7 ° 9' E Coordinates: 50 ° 55 '43 " N , 7 ° 9' 29" E
Setup date	2004
administration	Regional Council Cologne

The Königsforst area is a European bird sanctuary (protected area identifier DE-5008-401) in the south of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which was designated by the Cologne Regional Council in 2004 .

The Birds Directive of the European Union serves to preserve the wild bird species native to the territory of its member states and to regulate the protection, management and regulation of these birds, their eggs and habitats .

location

The approximately 25 square kilometer “Königsforst” bird sanctuary is identical to the Königsforst forest area of the same name . It touches the area of the cities of Cologne , Bergisch Gladbach and Rösrath . In the north it is bounded by the Autobahn 4 . In the southwest, the federal motorway 3 and the Aggertalbahn cut through the area.

description

The Königsforst is the largest contiguous forest area on the Middle Terrace on the right bank of the Rhine . The highest point is the Tütberg at 212 m above sea level. NHN . The border of the Cologne city area runs through the Königsforst. On it lies Cologne's highest point, the Monte Troodelöh with a height of around 118 m above sea level. NHN .

The EU bird sanctuary "Königsforst" is described as an "old forest area at the interface between the lowlands and the mountainous areas with large mixed forests of beech and oak, partly also larger pine and spruce, natural streams and accompanying brook alder forests".

Habitat classes



N06 - inland waters, standing and flowing			1 %
N16 - deciduous forest			44%
N20 - artificial forests			52%
N23 - Other (cities, villages, roads, landfills, pits, industrial areas)00			3%

Habitat types

The following habitat types are described in the "Königsforst" bird sanctuary:

9110 - Hainsimsen-beech forest (Luzulo-Fagetum)

9130 - Woodruff beech forest

9160 - Subatlantic or central European pedunculate oak forest or chickweed oak-hornbeam forest (Carpinion betuli)

9190 - Old acidophilous oak forests on sandy plains with English oak

91E0 - floodplain forests with black alder and common ash

Protection purpose

The main protection purpose is the maintenance and development of this important core area within the European network of biotopes with a river system and appropriate proportions of old and dead wood. The connection between the Königsforst and the neighboring Bergisches Land should definitely be secured and a connection to the Wahner Heide restored.

The area-related conservation objectives and conservation measures are described differently depending on the species .

Breeding birds

kingfisher

Kingfisher in hovering flight

Preservation and development of dynamic river systems with flood zones, impact slopes, steep banks, the avoidance of the fragmentation of the populated habitats, the preservation and promotion of a permanent offer of natural nesting places, the careful water maintenance taking into account the demands of the species, the reduction of nutrients, pollutants and Sediment input in the area of the food waters as well as the avoidance of disturbances at the breeding sites from March to September

Tree falcon

Preservation and development of structured cultural landscapes with suitable food areas (especially wet grassland, small bodies of water, heaths, moors, fringing and hedge structures, field trees), the improvement of the water balance to stabilize a high groundwater level in the area of the food areas (especially dragonfly-rich habitats), the improvement of Agricultural habitats through the extensification of land use (reduced fertilization, no pesticides), the maintenance of breeding sites with a low-disturbance environment and the avoidance of disturbances at the breeding sites from May to August

Gray woodpecker

Preservation and development of extensive, habitat-typical deciduous and mixed forests (especially beech forests) with high proportions of old and dead wood of up to ten trees per hectare, avoidance of fragmentation and islanding of populated forest areas, preservation and development of sunny clearings, forest edges, light forest structures and small structures (stumps, dead wood) as well as grassland as food areas, the improvement of the food supply (e.g. reduced fertilization, no pesticides), the maintenance of cave trees and the requirement for a permanent supply of suitable breeding trees (especially> 100-year-old beeches, trees with Damaged areas) as well as the avoidance of disturbances at the breeding sites from March to July

Middle woodpecker

Preservation and development of extensive, habitat-typical deciduous and mixed forests as well as hardwood meadows with high proportions of old and dead wood, increasing the proportion of oak forests, avoiding the fragmentation and islanding of suitable forest areas, improving the food supply, maintaining cave trees and promoting a permanent supply of suitable ones Breeding trees as well as avoiding disturbance to the breeding grounds from March to June

Red kite

Preservation and development of forest areas with sparse old wood stocks as well as open, structurally rich cultural landscapes, the avoidance of fragmentation and islanding of populated habitats, the preservation and development of suitable food areas (especially grassland and arable land, fringes, leaving stubble fallow), the preservation of Horst trees with a low-disturbance environment, the avoidance of disturbances at the breeding grounds from April to July, the defusing or protection of dangerous electricity pylons and overhead lines as well as the reduction of losses due to secondary poisoning (poison bait)

Black woodpecker

Preservation and development of habitat-typical deciduous and mixed forests (especially beech forests) with high proportions of old and dead wood (up to ten trees per hectare), the avoidance of the fragmentation of the populated forest areas, the preservation and development of sunny clearings, forest edges, light forest structures and Small structures (stumps, dead wood) as food areas, the improvement of the food supply, the maintenance of cave trees and the promotion of a permanent supply of suitable breeding trees (especially> 120-year-old beeches) and the avoidance of disturbances in the breeding grounds from March to June

Honey buzzard

Preservation and development of deciduous and mixed deciduous forests with sparse old wood stocks in structurally rich, semi-open cultivated landscapes, the preservation and development of clearings and grassland areas, structurally rich forest edges and fringes as food areas with a rich supply of wasps, the improvement of the food supply, the preservation of the eyrie trees with one low-disturbance environment as well as avoiding disturbances at the breeding grounds from May to August

Connection with other protected areas

With the bird sanctuary "Königsforst" the following, related protected areas (list not complete) are designated:

EU bird sanctuary " Wahner Heide " (DE-5108-401)

FFH area " Kermeter " (DE-5008-302)

FFH area " Wahner Heide " (DE-5108-301)

" Königsforst (Rhein-Berg) " nature reserve (GL-038)

Nature reserve " Wahner Heide " (K-001)

Nature reserve " Nature reserve Königsforst " (K-020)

Großer Steinberg natural forest cell

Web links

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

The protected area at www.protectedplanet.net
The protected area at the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation
The protected area at the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia

Individual evidence

↑ Article 1 of the current Birds Directive
↑ Map of the protected area at www.protectedplanet.net, accessed on May 5, 2020.
↑ Description of the bird sanctuary at the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on May 11, 2020.

[1] Article 1 of the current Birds Directive

[2] Map of the protected area at www.protectedplanet.net, accessed on May 5, 2020.

[3] Description of the bird sanctuary at the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on May 11, 2020.