Hohes Moor, Nature reserve in Estorf, Oldendorf, Heinbockel, and Bremervörde, Germany.
Hohes Moor is a nature reserve situated across several municipalities in northern Germany, between Estorf, Oldendorf, Heinbockel, and Bremervörde. It covers open water surfaces, wet meadows, peat moss lawns, and bog forests that together form a varied wetland landscape.
Peat was cut by hand here from about 1830 until the 1960s, draining the bog and leaving the Oldendorfer See and Elmer See as remnants of its former lakes. Water levels were raised again from the early 1980s, and between 2001 and 2006 around 653 hectares were rewetted. Parts of the area have been protected since 16 September 2018 under the NSG LÜ 013 "Hohes Moor" ordinance.
The name "Hohes Moor" refers directly to the raised bog character of the land, which visitors can see in the open peat moss fields and shallow pools. The patterns left by old peat cutting are still readable in the ground, giving the place a layered appearance that locals recognize as part of their landscape identity.
Two marked walking trails cross the reserve, giving visitors the option to explore different sections at their own pace. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, as the ground can be soft and uneven in the wetter parts of the bog.
The crane returned as a breeding bird in 2002, and the marsh owl and hobby also nest in the open bog. On the water, greylag, bean and Egyptian geese gather in large flocks during migration. Dead spruce and birch trunks standing in the re-wetted areas are visible traces of the rising water table.
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