Dübener Heide Nature Park, Germany

The Dübener Heide is located between the two German states of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Working together with associated partners Naturpark Dübener Heide and stakeholders from the planning and nature conservation sectors, professional and voluntary, the Saxony Foundation for Nature and Environment (LaNU) and the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) will use the Dübener Heide as a case study area during the MaGICLandscapes project.

The Dübener Heide is cherished and highly valued by the local communities and their contribution to its conservation is both impressive and considerable. With almost 400 members the Verein Dübener Heide e.V. (Dübener Heide Association) is organised into nine local groups. The association has demonstrated the effectiveness of community involvement and ownership of conservation activities in the park and is the perfect example of professional bottom up conservation efforts supported by established and effective funding mechanisms. The Dübener Heide is a significant part of the area’s green infrastructure and the surrounding communities work hard to ensure that the multiple benefits achieved through sound management, promotion and respectful use will endure. With such effective community action, the park provides the learning platform from which those successful approaches and lessons learnt can be transferred to other areas, making it a perfect case study for the project.

Close to the cities Leipzig, Halle, Wittenberg and Dessau the Dübener Heide attracts numerous visitors during the weekends and holidays. It’s tranquil landscape of lakes and ponds, heath-land, swamp and Germany’s largest mixed woodland provide the opportunity for a number of recreational activities such as hiking and cycling. Cultural events promoting local traditions also add to the parks popularity.

The landscapes and physical activities are not the only attraction for visitors, in the peace of the natural park, between the River Elbe and River Mulde, visitors can relax amongst the park’s unique flora and fauna. Here you can observe cranes, the threatened Black stork, osprey, beavers, otters and red deer among many other species of animal. The south of the park is especially noted for its high biodiversity with 114 bird species recorded as breeding there.

Flyer of the case study area Dübener Heide Nature Park (in German)

Communication concept "Green Infrastructure & Social Media" Dübener Heide Nature Park (in German)

Regional Workshops in the Dübener Heide Nature Park (in German)

Regional green infrastructure maps of the Dübener Heide Nature Park

Green infrastructure functionality maps of the Dübener Heide Nature Park

Summary of the Green Infrastructure Strategy & Action Plan of Dübener Heide Nature Park

Dübener Heide Green Infrastructure Strategy (Deutsch)

If you are interested in the pdf version of all maps of green infrastructure which are linked above feel free to contact Sven Riedl from the Academy of the Saxon State Foundation of Nature and the Environment in Dresden/Germany.

Header photo: Verein Dübener Heide e.V.