Scheffelberg / Kalberstert nature reserve

Kuppe Kalberstert

Area to the east of the Kleiner Scheffelberg from the south

Area to the east of the Großer Scheffelberg in the center of the picture from the northeast

Male orchid in the NSG

Creeping chamois in the NSG

The nature reserve Scheffelberg / Kalberstert with a size of 45.62 hectares is located east of Brilon . The area was designated as a nature reserve (NSG) by the Hochsauerlandkreis in 2008 with the landscape plan of the Brilon plateau . Three parts of the NSG belong to the FFH area Kalkkuppen near Brilon (DE 4617-303). It is one of 31 nature reserves in Brilon which belongs to the group of limestone peaks with special prohibitions.

Area description

The NSG consists of the four mountain peaks Kleiner Scheffelberg , Großer Scheffelberg , Gaus and Kalberstert . At both peaks, Großer Scheffelberg and Kalberstert , rocks are exposed. In addition to the beech forest, there are mainly grassland areas in the NSG. Grassland also includes grasslands .

In particular, the conical mass limestone cliff Kalberstert is characteristic of the landscape in the open agricultural landscape east of Brilon. This contributes to the fact that there are only a few bushes on the hilltop where the rock is exposed. A species-rich flora of small ferns and cryptogams can be found on the cliff, which is surrounded by extensive rubble heaps and semi-arid limestone grass rich in flowers. In less steep and somewhat deeper areas, the limestone semi-arid grassland turns into poor pastures.

On the Großer Scheffelberg there are flower-rich limestone semi-dry lawns in a larger area on the stony, shallow main crest and on the steep eastern slope. In less steep areas they merge into structurally rich pastures, which take up large areas of the northern slope and the grazed western slope. Harvested edges of the terraced slopes also have semi-arid grasslands locally. In places the edges of the terrain are made up of bushes and rows of trees. Groups of trees, rows of hedges and individual bushes shape the landscape in the northern part of the NSG. In the plateau location and on the southern slope of the Großer Scheffelberg, fertilizers have been used to convert them into fat pastures.

At the Kleiner Scheffelberg there is a semi-arid lawn bordered by bushes or on the northern edge of small beech groves of the woodruff beech forest on the plateau of the mountain top. Partly fertilized pastures are in the west and east of the hilltop. The grassland is structured by individual woody trees and poor terrace edges. A small former quarry on the northern edge is overgrown by bushes.

Protection purpose

As with all nature reserves in Germany, the protection designation pointed out that the area became a nature reserve “because of the rarity, special character and beauty of the area”. The NSG is intended to protect the grassland and the forest in the NSG.

Prohibitions

In addition to the normal prohibitions in nature reserves, the NSG Scheffelberg / Kalberstert, like the other 31 limestone peaks in the Brilon urban area, have additional prohibitions for the core zone of the NSG. It is forbidden to fertilize, roll and drag the limestone peaks. No more than two livestock units per hectare may graze at the same time. Furthermore, mowing is only permitted from July 1st of each year.