Wennetal nature reserve

	NSG Wennetal IUCN Category IV - Habitat / Species Management Area
	The Wenne in the NSG near Wenholthausen (2015)
location	Eslohe (Sauerland) , Hochsauerlandkreis , North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany
surface	94.5 ha
Identifier	HSK-269
WDPA ID	389946
Natura 2000 ID	(partially) DE-4715-301 (partially)
Geographical location	51 ° 15 ' N , 8 ° 13' E Coordinates: 51 ° 14 '43 " N , 8 ° 12' 35" E
Setup date	2008
Framework plan	Landscape plan Eslohe
administration	Lower landscape authority Hochsauerlandkreis

The nature reserve Wennetal with a size of 94.5 hectares includes the Wenne north of Frielinghausen to the municipality boundary of Eslohe (Sauerland) . The area was designated as a nature reserve (NSG) by the Hochsauerlandkreis in 2008 with the Eslohe landscape plan . The area comprises three sub-areas and is largely located in the somewhat larger FFH area DE 4715-301 Wenne .

Area description

The NSG comprises the river stretches of the Wenne north from Frielinghausen to Bremke , north from Bremke to Berge and north from Berge to the municipal boundary. The Wenne in the local areas of Bremke and Berge does not belong to the NSG. The lower course of the Salwey from Sallinghausen to the entry into the Wenne also belongs to the NSG. In addition to the river, the floodplain areas usually belong to the NSG. In the area of large grassland areas in the floodplain, only a 25 m wide strip of banks was included in NSG.

The Wenne in the NSG is usually rich in structure and partly meanders in the Aue. It has impact and sliding slopes. The river has a natural riverbed and has pools. The Wenne in NSG is fast flowing and between three and seven meters wide. Except for Kolke, the river is mostly flat with a stony bottom.

Kingfisher and dipper breed in the NSG . Bird species such as black stork and red kite are regular food guests. In the river are bullhead and brook lamprey to find.

Protection purpose

Preservation and optimization of a species and structure rich river. Protection of an indispensable medium for spreading water species. According to the nature reserve designation, the area was designated as a nature reserve in order to contribute to the safeguarding of the ecological network Natura 2000 of the EU in the sense of the Habitats Directive and also to the preservation and development of communities and habitats of wild, partly endangered species, animal and plant species. 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”.