Glockengrund nature reserve

Northwest area of the reserve

Glockengrund nature reserve with herd of sheep

Herd guard dogs, sheep and goat herds in the protected area

Part of the vineyard in the Glockengrund

The Glockengrund nature reserve is located west of Udorf in the urban area of Marsberg in the Hochsauerland district . It was designated as a nature reserve (NSG) in 2008 with the Marsberg landscape plan and is 43.27 hectares in size. The NSG represents a partial area in the Fauna-Flora-Habitat (FFH) Glockengrund, Glocken-rücken and Hummelgrund (Natura 2000-Nr. DE-4519-305) in the European protected area system according to Natura 2000. The NSG represents the middle part of the FFH- Area Glockengrund, Glocken-rücken and Hummelgrund . North of the Glockengrund is theNature reserve Hummelgrund and south of the nature reserve Udorfer Mühle . The FFH area, together with the similarly structured NSGs on the slopes of Glinde and Diemeltal, belongs to a historical type of cultural landscape with close interlinking of bushes and open land and with a species-rich and specific fauna and flora of carbonate character, which is unique in the Hochsauerland district. In the past, these areas were usually tended by shepherds with their herds of sheep and goats. The NSG borders almost exclusively on the landscape conservation area Lean Grassland on Glockengrund and the conservation area open spaces west of Udorf .

description

The poor grasslands in the NSG represent a remnant of the historical pastureland on the calcareous soils of the Marsberg plateau, which is outstanding in its nature conservation value. The Glockengrund is a forked side valley of the Orpe that runs from west to east . On the steep lower slopes and on the hilltop to the west of the sebum fork, calcareous semi-arid grasslands rich in flowers and species have been preserved in various forms. In the eastern part of the NSG there is a heterogeneous mosaic of thorn bushes , mostly black thorn, on both valley flanks . The flat valley floor with the nameless creek deepened like a trench and the gently sloping plateau areas are occupied by nutrient-rich pastures and meadows. On the north-facing slope there is a large stand of juniper . On the south-facing opposite slope, flowery grasslands frame a small abandoned quarry with bushes in the pre-forest stage. To the north of it, beech trees from multi-stemmed trees grow in an area where historical mining for zinc and lead took place. Another beech wood with a layer of herbs appropriate to the location can be found in Plängersgrund on the western edge of the NSG. Due to the rich structure with small trees, the area is also a valuable breeding biotope for endangered hedge-breeding bird species such as the red backed killer .

Protection purpose of the nature reserve

The NSG was designated for the maintenance of a biotope complex that is rich in structure and particularly species, made up of variously poor grassland areas with rich field trees and littered beech forests. The habitat function for a number of endangered plant, bird and insect species should also be preserved. The NSG is intended to help secure the use of grassland by herding sheep. The NSG is intended to help ensure the coherence and implementation of the European Natura 2000 system of protected areas .

natural reserve

Parts of the land in the NSG belong to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia , the NRW Foundation , the Association for Nature and Bird Protection in the Hochsauerlandkreis (VNV) and the city of Marsberg. The NSG is mostly looked after by a shepherd from Udorf with his flock of sheep and goats. Other grassland areas are used by the shepherd as hay meadows and are re-grazed later in the year. Since the 1990s, the VNV and the Biological Station Hochsauerlandkreis have also taken care of the NSG. In particular, blackthorn bushes and stick rashes were removed with a chainsaw and brush cutter .

literature

Hochsauerlandkreis - Lower Landscape Authority: Marsberg landscape plan. Meschede 2008, p. 69.
Werner Schubert: Lean lime grass in the Marsberg area - Brilon permanently saved (PDF; 1.85 MB) Irrgeister 2006/23. Pp. 20-22.