Königsforst nature reserve (Rhein-Berg)

	Königsforst nature reserve (Rhein-Berg) IUCN Category IV - Habitat / Species Management Area
	The Kettner pond
location	Bergisch Gladbach , Overath and Rösrath , North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany
surface	15.726 km²
Identifier	GL-038
WDPA ID	164181
Geographical location	50 ° 56 ' N , 7 ° 11' E Coordinates: 50 ° 56 '23 " N , 7 ° 10' 45" E
Setup date	1997
Framework plan	Landscape plan south district (Bergisch Gladbach, Overath, Rösrath)
administration	Lower landscape authority Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis

The Königsforst nature reserve in the Rheinisch-Bergisches Kreis is a large forest area in Bergisch Gladbach south of the federal motorway 4 and in the northern parts of Overath and Rösrath . In the west it extends to the city limits of Cologne , where it merges into the Königsforst nature reserve (Cologne) . The nature reserve is part of the Bergische Heideterrasse .

The forest is an FFH and bird sanctuary . Due to the age, the closed nature of the forest landscape and the partly still natural streams with their accompanying brook alder forests, the royal forest is one of the core areas of a European forest biotope network.

Hike through the royal forest

Nature reserve

In 1997 the Königsforst was declared a nature reserve. The protection designation was made for the preservation and development of a large contiguous natural area-typical forest area with typical biotope types of the Bergische Heideterrassen such as springs, alder forests, natural streams, reed beds and orchards, open land and grassland biotopes. For this purpose, the following protective purposes were established:

Preservation and safeguarding of protected habitats such as lowland forests , break - and swamp forests , rivers , still water , source areas ,
Securing the function as a biotope network area is of paramount importance
Preservation, creation and restoration of the communities with the species spectrum and local variations typical of the natural deciduous forest communities,
Preservation, production and restoration of the habitats of rare and endangered as well as typical landscape-typical animal and plant species in large contiguous forest ecological systems,
Preservation, production and restoration of the near-natural structures of the numerous running waters - mainly sandy streams - and their bank areas, the spring swamps, ponds and reservoirs with their swamp and water vegetation and other wet areas as an important groundwater recharge area.

FFH area

Since 2000, the Natura 2000 area has been declared under the name Koenigsforst according to Directive 92/43 / EEC (Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive) with the area number DE-5008-302 . These consist of the diversity typical of the natural area with extensive mixed oak forests on sand alternating with acidic beech forests as well as a partially natural flowing water system with sand brooks, sometimes accompanied by beautiful brook alder forests. Particularly noteworthy are:

Erlen -, ash - and softwood - swamp forests (priority habitat)

Hainsimsen - beech forest

Old acidic oak forests on sandy plains with English oaks ( Quercus robur )

Pedunculate oak and hornbeam forest

Woodruff- beech forest

Particularly noteworthy among the wild animals are the bullhead and the brook lamprey. The reintroduction of stag beetle populations and habitats should then be promoted.

Kingfisher in hovering flight

Bird sanctuary

Since 2004, the FFH area has also been designated as an EU bird sanctuary " Königsforst " under the area number DE 5008-401 to protect the habitats for the following wild bird species:

Kingfisher ( Alcedo attis )
Gray woodpecker ( Picus canus )
Middle Woodpecker ( Dendrocopus medius )
Red kite ( Milvus milvus )
Black Woodpecker ( Dendrocopus martius )
Honey buzzard ( Pernis apivorus )

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Natura 2000 area "VSG Koenigsforst" in the specialist information system of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on March 11, 2017.
↑ ^a ^b "Südkreis" landscape plan (Bergisch Gladbach, Overath, Rösrath), text part. (PDF) The District Administrator of the Rheinisch-Bergisches Kreis, 2008, p. 84 ff. , Accessed on February 25, 2017 .
↑ Natura 2000 area "Koenigsforst" in the specialist information system of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on March 11, 2017.
↑ 5008-401 Königsforst. (EU bird sanctuary) Profiles of the Natura 2000 areas. Published by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation . Retrieved November 20, 2017.

Web links

Nature reserve "GL-038 Königsforst" in the specialist information system of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on March 6, 2017.
5008-302 Königsforst. (FFH area) Profiles of the Natura 2000 areas. Published by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation . Retrieved March 11, 2017.
Map of the Natura 2000 area in the specialist information system of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on March 11, 2017.
The Bergische Heideterrasse - Königsforst accessed on March 7, 2017

[Vogel-1] Natura 2000 area "VSG Koenigsforst" in the specialist information system of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on March 11, 2017.

[LP-2] "Südkreis" landscape plan (Bergisch Gladbach, Overath, Rösrath), text part. (PDF) The District Administrator of the Rheinisch-Bergisches Kreis, 2008, p. 84 ff. , Accessed on February 25, 2017 .

[3] Natura 2000 area "Koenigsforst" in the specialist information system of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia , accessed on March 11, 2017.

[4] 5008-401 Königsforst. (EU bird sanctuary) Profiles of the Natura 2000 areas. Published by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation . Retrieved November 20, 2017.