Rustwerder, Nature reserve on the Boiensdorfer peninsula, Germany
Rustwerder is a nature reserve on the Boiensdorfer Halbinsel, a coastal peninsula along the Wismarbucht in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The land is flat and low, made up of salt meadows and wet grassland that meet the water at a gently shifting shoreline.
The reserve was established in 1971 to protect a coastal landform called a strandhaken, a ridge of land built up by sand moving along the shore over a long time. The salt meadows inside the reserve had already been used as grazing land for centuries before that protection came into place.
Rustwerder draws visitors who come to watch wading birds and waterfowl in the open salt meadows along the water's edge. The grazing tradition that has shaped this landscape for generations is still visible today in the low, open fields that stretch between the shore and the inland.
The reserve is reached on foot, and staying on marked paths helps protect the nesting birds and other wildlife from disturbance. A nearby campsite brings more people to the area on some days, so early morning tends to be the best time for a visit.
Since 2009, part of the land has been owned by the NABU Foundation, which actively monitors and cares for the habitat. The strandhaken landform at the heart of the reserve keeps changing shape as wind and water move sand along the coast, meaning the shoreline looks a little different each time you visit.
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