Niederlausitzer Landrücken Nature Park

The natural landscape in South Brandenburg presents itself as a region of opposites. The eponymous ridge (German: Landrücken) is covered by extensive forests; its flanks give birth to sources that feed the moors, small streams and pond landscapes. The plain features an agricultural landscape littered with small villages and their fieldstone churches, manor houses and rural parks.

The post-mining landscapes, a legacy of coal mining, present an entirely different picture. The flooding of the remaining holes and the renewed rise in groundwater levels have created six large lakes and other water bodies. Dunes, dry grassland and sandy heathland on the former dumping sites provide precious habitats for animals and plants. The Heinz Sielmann Foundation has acquired 30 square kilometres (ca. 11.6 sq miles) of this landscape for the purpose of development in harmony with nature and welcomes guests on the shores of Lake Schlabendorf.

In autumn, thousands of cranes and wild geese come to rest in the Luckau Basin, presenting a particularly impressive spectacle. In spring, Brandenburg’s largest colony of seagulls attracts bird lovers. The towns of Luckau, Fürstlich Drehna and Altdöbern with their historical buildings are well worth a visit.

Hiking, bicycling and animal watching are good ways of enjoying the beauty and characteristics of the region. The Nature Park Information Centre in Fürstlich Drehna and the Heinz Sielmann Natur-Erlebniszentrum Wanninchen provide more information about what to do in the nature park.