Standortübungsplatz bei Büecke, Nature reserve in Möhnesee and Soest, Germany
Standortübungsplatz bei Büecke is a 247-hectare protected area near Möhnesee featuring open grasslands, three deep dry valleys, and numerous shallow water bodies scattered across the terrain. The landscape shows rolling hills and vegetated slopes that visitors can observe from elevated vantage points.
The area served as a training ground for Prussian military forces starting in the 1800s and later housed Belgian troops and missile launch facilities. Following the departure of armed forces in 1986, the site underwent transformation into a protected nature reserve officially designated in 2004.
The site's name reflects its former military purpose, yet today it represents a landscape where nature has reclaimed priority over training operations. Visitors experience how livestock grazing and natural recovery work together to shape the terrain.
Access to the main protected area is restricted, but visitors can explore the landscape from designated viewing hills and adjacent walking paths that circle the reserve. Wear sturdy shoes as the terrain includes muddy areas, especially after rainfall or in wetter zones.
The reserve maintains year-round grazing with Heck cattle and Konik horses across roughly 100 hectares, animals rarely seen in other reserves of this type. Their continuous presence shapes the appearance of the grasslands and helps maintain the open landscape naturally.
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