Stadtheide, Protected landscape component in Paderborn, Germany.

Stadtheide is a 2.5-hectare protected landscape element on the southern edge of the Senne, between the Lippe and Pader rivers. Its sandy, nutrient-poor ground is blown into low dune waves and interspersed with black-brown orterde. The former open heath of common heather is now heavily mixed with Scots pine, silver birch and pedunculate oak.

The Stadtheide was placed under nature protection in 1937 on the initiative of the Westfälischer Heimatbund, when the 2.5-hectare site was still an open heath. Soon after, it became clear the area was far too small for heath conservation, and trees and shrubs changed its character. Since 1999 it has held the status of a protected landscape component rather than a nature reserve.

The name Stadtheide refers to the heathland character of this spot on the southern edge of the Senne. Since 2015 Greenpeace Paderborn has looked after the area, and since early 2023 a fence has enclosed it while heathland sheep and goats graze to hold back the scrub. The animals are the visible tradition here; outside the grazing periods walkers can still cross the heath.

The heath lies at about 100 m elevation on the southern edge of the Senne, in the angle between the Lippe and Pader, a few hundred metres from the Paderborn fish ponds. Since early 2023 a fence has enclosed the grazing area; it stays closed while sheep and goats are on the site. At other times walkers can still enter the heath.

Since 2015, Greenpeace Paderborn has looked after the Stadtheide, and since early 2023 a fence has enclosed the area while heidschnucken and goats graze it to hold back encroaching scrub. The fence stays closed only during grazing periods; otherwise walkers can still enter the heath.