Wallenstein nature reserve

NSG Wallenstein (left behind quarry) with surroundings

Wallenstein

NSG Wallenstein

The Wallenstein nature reserve with a size of 5.1 hectares is located southwest of Wallen in the urban area of Meschede . The area was designated as a nature reserve (NSG) by the Hochsauerlandkreis in 1994 with the Meschede landscape plan.

Area description

The NSG is the 468 m high Wallenstein hilltop with an extremely structured rock-forest biotope complex. On the hilltop there are up to 10 m high rocks made of Flinzkalk and the ruins of Wallenstein Castle . The rocks are partly covered with moss, lichen and other rock vegetation. The forest in the NSG consists predominantly of beech and mixed beech forest in a woodruff beech forest. In the NSG there are old beech , oak and red spruce trees . The Nordic striped fern occurs. On the north slope there is a ravine forest with silver leaf and individual mountain elms . At the foot of the eastern slope there are individual rocks and boulders within a dense, heavily shaded spruce stand. The rocks are outstanding as specific locations of a species-rich moss and lichen vegetation.

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”.