Usedom Island Nature Park
Encyclopedia
The Usedom Island Nature Park comprises the entire island of Usedom in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald
in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on its border with Poland
. In addition to the island itself, the park covers the waterbody between the island and the mainland as well as small strips of mainland in the northwest and west near the seaside resorts of Lubmin
and the town of Lassan
.
Even in East German days several parts of Usedom had been declared nature reserve
s, and they were gradually expanded. It was designated a protected area
in 1966 and, in 1993, expanded to the area of the present-day nature park.
In December 1999 the entire region was officially designated a nature park in the sense of being a large-scale cultural landscape. An information centre, the Ruth and Klaus Bahlsen House, with exhibition rooms, maps and leaflets, is located in the historic station building on the Bäderstraße from Usedom
. The building was promoted as part of an INTERREG project and completed in 2005.
The park is bounded by the Baltic Sea
on the Bay of Greifswald
(Greifswalder Bodden), the Peenestrom
, the Achterwasser
and the Oder Lagoon (Stettiner Haff). The total area of the park is 632 sqkm. Roughly 30% of this area is covered by forest, about 50% by lakes and the bay, 15% is moorland and the remaining area is a cultural landscape. A special feature of the nature park is the great diversity of landscapes within a small area. These include beach and littoral, lakes and marshes, dunes, pine and beech forests mixed with small villages and fields. The island of Usedom is one of the richest bird areas in Germany. Osprey
, White Stork
, Crane
and Heron
all breed in the nature reserve. The eutrophic and shallow lakes, such as the Gothensee
and Schmollensee
are ideal for bird roosting and nesting sites. The park is easily accessed on the B110 from Anklam
or the B 111
from Wolgast
or by rail on the Usedomer Bäderbahn
. At the edge of the park is the parish of Heringsdorf with its villages of Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin
.
Vorpommern-Greifswald
Vorpommern-Greifswald is a district in the east of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bounded by the districts Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, Vorpommern-Rügen, the Baltic Sea, Poland and the state Brandenburg...
in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on its border with Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. In addition to the island itself, the park covers the waterbody between the island and the mainland as well as small strips of mainland in the northwest and west near the seaside resorts of Lubmin
Lubmin
Lubmin is a coastal resort in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Lubmin is situated near Greifswald and on the Bay of Greifswald.Apart from tourism, Lubmin is a major transport and industry hub and investment location in the German energy sector...
and the town of Lassan
Lassan
Lassan is a town in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the Peene river, a branch of the Oder, 15 km northeast of Anklam.-References:...
.
Even in East German days several parts of Usedom had been declared nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s, and they were gradually expanded. It was designated a protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
in 1966 and, in 1993, expanded to the area of the present-day nature park.
In December 1999 the entire region was officially designated a nature park in the sense of being a large-scale cultural landscape. An information centre, the Ruth and Klaus Bahlsen House, with exhibition rooms, maps and leaflets, is located in the historic station building on the Bäderstraße from Usedom
Usedom (town)
Usedom is a town in Vorpommern-Greifswald district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is the seat of the Amt of Usedom-Süd, to which 14 other communities also belong.-Geography:...
. The building was promoted as part of an INTERREG project and completed in 2005.
The park is bounded by the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
on the Bay of Greifswald
Bay of Greifswald
The Bay of Greifswald is a basin in the southwestern Baltic Sea, off the shores of Germany in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. With an area of 514 km², it is the largest Bodden of the German Baltic coast....
(Greifswalder Bodden), the Peenestrom
Peenestrom
The Peenestrom is a strait or river in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is 20 Kilometers long and is the westernmost connection of the Szczecin Lagoon with the Baltic Sea. It is therefore also one of the three distributaries of the Oder....
, the Achterwasser
Achterwasser
The Achterwasser is a lagoon forming a bay on the Peenestrom river, which flows into the Baltic Sea, and like that estuary is an inland coastal waterbody. This lagoon extends so far into the island of Usedom, that it is only separated from the Baltic Sea by a narrow barrier spit between Ückeritz...
and the Oder Lagoon (Stettiner Haff). The total area of the park is 632 sqkm. Roughly 30% of this area is covered by forest, about 50% by lakes and the bay, 15% is moorland and the remaining area is a cultural landscape. A special feature of the nature park is the great diversity of landscapes within a small area. These include beach and littoral, lakes and marshes, dunes, pine and beech forests mixed with small villages and fields. The island of Usedom is one of the richest bird areas in Germany. Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
, White Stork
White Stork
The White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
, Crane
Common Crane
The Common Crane , also known as the Eurasian Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes.It is a large, stately bird and a medium-sized crane at 100–130 cm long, with a 180–240 cm wingspan and a weight of 4.5–6 kg...
and Heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
all breed in the nature reserve. The eutrophic and shallow lakes, such as the Gothensee
Gothensee
Gothensee is a lake in Usedom, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. At an elevation of 0 m, its surface area is 5.56 km².- External links :...
and Schmollensee
Schmollensee
Schmollensee is a lake in Usedom, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. At an elevation of 0 m, its surface area is 5.03 km².- External links :...
are ideal for bird roosting and nesting sites. The park is easily accessed on the B110 from Anklam
Anklam
Anklam is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the Kleines Haff, the western part of the Stettin Lagoon. Anklam has a population of 14,603 and was the capital of the former...
or the B 111
Bundesstraße 111
The B 111 begins at the A 20 motorway near Gützkow and ends at the B 110 near Mellenthin in northeast Germany. Since January 2008 the Bundesstraße 111 has followed the course of the old state road L 265...
from Wolgast
Wolgast
Wolgast is a town in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the bank of the river Peenestrom, vis-a-vis the island of Usedom that can be accessed by road and railway via a bascule bridge...
or by rail on the Usedomer Bäderbahn
Usedomer Bäderbahn
The Usedomer Bäderbahn with its head office in Heringsdorf, North Germany, is a 100 percent-owned subsidiary of the German national railway, Deutsche Bahn and the owner and operator of the railway network on the island of Usedom as well as the Züssow–Wolgast and Velgast–Barth lines. It calls all...
. At the edge of the park is the parish of Heringsdorf with its villages of Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin
Bansin
Bansin forms the westernmost part of the seaside resort town of Heringsdorf in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, on the north coast of the island of Usedom, about five miles by rail northwest of Świnoujście. Bansin has, in the past, been one of the most popular resorts on the German Baltic...
.