Grünhaus - an emerging paradise
Grünhaus - an emerging paradise
The former open-cast-lignite mine - Foto: Stefan Röhrscheid
The NABU Foundation for National Natural Heritage purchases ecologically valuable land in Germany for nature conservation. The Foundation was founded by NABU, the German Nature Conservation Association, which is a partner of BirdLife International.
Grünhaus Natural Paradise in Southern Brandenburg, about 130 kilometres from Berlin, is one of the places the NABU Foundation owns and maintains. In 2003, the Foundation bought the first 900 hectares of the former open-cast lignite mine. In Dezember 2006, the remaining part was purchased and the nature reserve reached its final size of about 2000 hectares.
Grünhaus - an emerging paradise - Foto: Stefan Röhrscheid
Grünhaus, which resembled a hostile moonscape after years of mining, today provides habitats for many different species with its flooded pits and woodlands, sandy hills and grassland. The incidence of many endangered plants and animals makes Grünhaus so valuable for nature.
The NABU Foundation pursues several objectives in conserving and improving the nature reserve's unique biodiversity: We aim at both an undisturbed development of the area and the ecological restoration of the former mine where necessary. Furthermore, we are conducting scientific research on the species occurring in Grünhaus.
The hoopoe lives in Grünhaus - Foto: Frank Leo
On regular guided tours of Grünhaus you can see this growing natural paradise for yourself: kingfishers and hoopoes chirp, northern wheatears build their nests and white-tailed eagles hover over the deep blue lakes. In autumn, you can even observe resting cranes. And not only birds populate the conservation area. There are also deer and, hopefully, beavers will soon be taking a swim in one of the lakes. More than 1300 species have been recorded in Grünhaus on a single day!
If you would like to support Grünhaus on a regular basis, we would appreciate your sponsorship for a particular slot of the nature reserve. Each sponsorship covers the cost of 72 Euros for one hectare of land and one year. As sponsor, you will receive a deed for your personal slot of Grünhaus, you will be sent a newsletter several times a year and you will be invited to join our yearly Grünhaus weekend for sponsors.