Geisterholz, Nature preserve in Ennigerloh and Oelde, Germany

Geisterholz is a 299-hectare nature reserve between Ennigerloh and Oelde in North Rhine-Westphalia, protected since 2003. It is a large forest complex with well-developed Sternmieren-Stieleichen-Hainbuchenwälder (wood anemone-sessile oak-hornbeam forests) and Waldmeister-Buchenwälder (sweet woodruff-beech forests), including their pre-forests, shrub and herbaceous fringes, and forest edges.

The woodland was officially protected in 2003 to safeguard its ecological systems. This step was taken to counter growing pressures on natural habitats in the region.

The woodland shapes the landscape with its old oak and hornbeam trees that visitors encounter while walking through. Local residents regularly use and maintain the paths that wind through the area.

Access to the area is possible year-round, mainly via roads on the southern and northeastern edges. Visitors should bring suitable footwear for woodland paths and be prepared for natural conditions.

The reserve protects Sternmieren-Stieleichen-Hainbuchenwälder (wood anemone-sessile oak-hornbeam forests) and Waldmeister-Buchenwälder (sweet woodruff beech forests) across their typical site variation, including pre-forests, shrub and herb layers, and woodland edges. It forms part of a biotope network of state and European importance.