Forest of blue flowers
The area in Doveren ( Heinsberg district ), popularly known as the forest of blue flowers , got its name from a pronounced population of the Atlantic hare bells ( Hyacinthoides non-scripta ), which is considered a natural occurrence.
The area is located in a small wood in the Hinter dem Berg area above the L117 road (approximately to where the Provinzialstraße becomes the Bahnstraße ) from Doveren to Baal , opposite the entrance to the Hückelhoven-Baal industrial area. It has an area of approximately 400 by 200 meters. It is best reached on foot from Doveren's Sand Road. After the Blue Flower Forest became more and more popular in recent years, especially through social media , you can now find a lot of visitors there, mainly on weekends and on May Day . Quite a few of them go into the particularly densely vegetated areas, regardless of the plants, in order to take artistic photos or even just take selfies . Trodden rabbit bells and countless trails are left behind as a visible result of this action.
The hare bell is a spring geophyte . From mid-April to mid-May (depending on the weather) the forest floor is covered over a large area like a dense blue-green carpet of flowers. Such a large population of this rare plant, which is protected by the Federal Species Protection Ordinance, is unique in Germany.
Two other nearby hare bells are located behind the industrial area in the direction of Doverheide / Großkünkel, accessible via Dieselstrasse , and in the forest called Gillenbusch near Glimbach, just a few kilometers away .
The species has its main distribution center in north-western Europe (for example in Ireland and Great Britain under the name Bluebells ). In Belgium ( widespread here in the Hallerbos south of Brussels), the Netherlands and in north-west Germany it occurs only rarely. The island-like population at Doveren is thus on the southeastern edge of the actual distribution area.
The plants do not tolerate locations with too much shade and are hindered in their growth by spreading undergrowth, especially blackberry bushes . Because of this, the undergrowth has to be cleared in some years, but this always leads to a lack of understanding among forest visitors. In addition, the plant is sensitive to steps and the associated soil compaction.
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.euregio-im-bild.de/journal/artikel/im-wald-der-blauen-blumen-das-hasengloeckchen
- ↑ http://www.rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/kreis-heinsberg/mehr-licht-fuer-hasengloeckchen-wald-aid-1.3368465
Coordinates: 51 ° 2 ′ N , 6 ° 16 ′ E