Flusslandschaft Elbe Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO biosphere reserve along Elbe River, Germany
The Flusslandschaft Elbe Biosphere Reserve is a large protected area spanning five federal states that contains wetlands, floodplains, and forests along the Elbe River. The area covers about 400 kilometers of river course and displays typical habitats of a dynamic river landscape.
The area received its first UNESCO designation in 1979 for the Middle Elbe region and was expanded in 1997 to include all five federal states. This expansion reflected growing recognition of the entire river system's importance.
The reserve encompasses several UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm and Bauhaus Dessau that visitors can discover while exploring. These cultural locations are woven into the natural river landscape and show how people have linked nature and design together.
Visitors can use marked hiking and cycling paths that connect different habitats and provide access to marshlands and tributary valleys. The best time to explore is during spring and autumn months when wildlife is especially active.
The area is home to a population of around 2,000 beavers that have successfully recolonized the entire river course. This recolonization demonstrates how nature recovers when human disturbance is reduced.
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