Boomberge, Nature reserve in Harsewinkel, Germany.
Boomberge is a nature reserve spanning roughly 118 hectares of inland dunes, sandy grasslands, and alder swamp forests situated between the Ems and Lutter rivers. Eight vertical gravel wells pump drinking water from 20 meters below the surface using specialized motors that operate throughout the reserve.
The landscape formed roughly 10,000 years ago when melting ice created water-filled river channels that transported and deposited sand along the banks. This geological process built the sandy terrain and conditions that support the reserve's varied wildlife today.
Medieval shepherds and their flocks grazed across the heathland here until the early 1900s, shaping the open landscape you see today. This long history of pastoral use still influences how the reserve looks and feels to visitors.
The reserve is best explored on foot, with different landscape types easily accessible throughout the area. Watch for uneven terrain and sandy-marshy sections, especially in the woodland areas during wetter seasons.
This reserve holds the highest elevation point in Harsewinkel at 79.9 meters above sea level. This modest peak is home to rare species like the copper-brown sand beetle, found in only a few locations across the region.
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