Glücksburger Heide, Protected area in Jessen, Germany

The Glücksburger Heide is a protected nature reserve featuring sandy forest and heathland stretching across several districts in Saxony-Anhalt. The terrain displays a variety of habitats including open heath, pine woodlands, and wetland areas.

The area served as a German Luftwaffe bombing range starting in 1936 and later as a Soviet military training ground until 1990. Decades of military use transformed the landscape before the site gained protection.

The name Glücksburger Heide replaced the older Seydaer Heide during the 19th century. A local heritage association built a tea house and benches near the Heimateiche, a roughly 200-year-old hollow oak damaged by shrapnel. The tree is the reserve's landmark, surrounded since 1993 by a two-hectare park with about 450 trees and shrubs.

The area was only opened to the public after 1990; the Dahmsche Straße was cleared of ordnance and handed over, and the former tank depot was removed in 1993. A protective hut now stands on the foundations of the former Mügeln forest house. The site was cleared of munitions only visually, so stay on the paths.

The reserve hosts about 127 bird species with roughly 98 breeding species, including rare birds like the Nightjar and Eurasian Skylark. This diversity thrives thanks to the varied habitat structure created by its former military use.