Fleuthkuhlen, Nature reserve between Geldern and Issum, Germany.
Fleuthkuhlen is a protected lowland area spanning 588 hectares between Geldern and Issum containing roughly 53 shallow water bodies surrounded by reed beds and willow thickets. The reserve displays a natural landscape structure shaped entirely by its interconnected pond and wetland system.
Local peat extraction during the 18th and 19th centuries created numerous depressions across the land that eventually filled with groundwater to form the current pond system. This past industrial activity inadvertently laid the foundation for what became a protected natural landscape.
The name Fleuthkuhlen reflects the shallow depressions that peat cutting created centuries ago and continue to define the land today. Visitors can see how this past shapes the present landscape through the water bodies and vegetation patterns that mark the reserve.
The NABU Nature Conservation Center Gelderland manages the reserve and provides detailed information brochures with trail maps to help visitors explore the area. Wear sturdy footwear and bring weather-appropriate clothing since trails cross moist terrain and conditions change with the season.
The reserve is home to roughly 30 dragonfly species and 85 bird species including the water rail, a rare nester that few visitors ever spot. This concentration of specialized water-dwelling animals makes it a particularly important habitat for species that depend on wetland conditions.
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