Bärberg nature reserve

Bärberg nature reserve with Medelon in the background

The Bärberg nature reserve with a size of 50.7 hectares is located northwest of Medelon in the city of Medebach . It was designated as a nature reserve (NSG) by the Hochsauerlandkreis in 2003 with the Medebach landscape plan. The NSG is part of the European bird sanctuary Medebacher Bucht (DE-4717-401).

Area description

The NSG is a grassland area on the south-facing slope of Bärberg. The reserve is structured by hedges and bushes rich in thorn bushes on the parcel boundaries, along the paths and on the edges of the terraces. The hedges in the lower slope area are often only gaps and in the upper slope area they are more closed and sometimes widened like bushes. In the upper slope area there are some plots of spruce, further overgrown Christmas tree cultures and an arable plot. On the western lower and upper slopes there are two former abandoned hedge areas . In one of the hedge areas there is a multi-shoot forest of mountain ash and bird cherry in a nutrient-rich fallow. The NSG is accessed by asphalt and gravel paths.

In the grassland there are mainly nutrient-rich and mostly species-poor meadows, hay meadows and pastures. There are also some species-rich, lean golden oat meadows and nutrient-rich smooth oat meadows in the area. There are also three very small wet pasture areas with springs. In the southern NSG area there is a small brook with a well-watered bank zone.

In the NSG brooding red-backed shrike and other bushes breeder in greater numbers.

Protection purpose

The NSG is supposed to protect the grassland with its species inventory. As with all nature reserves in Germany, the protection designation indicated that the area was declared a nature reserve “because of the rarity, special character and beauty of the area”.