Giesener Teiche, Nature reserve in Hildesheim, Germany

Giesener Teiche is a nature reserve in northern Hildesheim protecting a stream valley between Himmelsthür and Giesen. The stream is dammed into two ponds and flows into the Innerste about a kilometre east. The reserve covers 17.6 hectares on red claystone with gypsum, including a sinkhole, and on limestone and marlstone, with reed zones, alder carr, wet meadows and semi-dry grassland.

The ponds were created by the episcopal estate of Steuerwald by the end of the 18th century for fish farming. The area was designated a nature reserve on 15 November 1984, originally covering 11 hectares, and was enlarged to 17.6 hectares on 20 August 2015.

The area forms part of a nature experience complex where visitors walk through reed zones and wet meadows that reveal different habitats. Local school groups and nature enthusiasts regularly use the marked paths to observe the landscape.

The reserve is located between Himmelsthür and Giesen in northern Hildesheim with multiple entry points and clearly marked trails throughout. Visitors can easily explore different habitats on foot and find good spots for observing wildlife along the paths.

The reserve lies on red claystone with gypsum, in which a sinkhole has formed, next to limestone and marl. This small-scale geology underlies the mix of reed beds, alder carr, wet meadows and semi-dry grassland; the slopes are grazed by sheep and goats to keep the grassland open.