Worringer Bruch

The Worringer Bruch is a breakthrough of convert|164|ha|acre, swampy lowlands in the far north of Cologne, Germany. It is an approximately 8,000 years old, now almost completely dried up meander part of the Rhine. An adjacent district of Cologne, Worringen, which once was an independent city itself and has a thousand years of history (first mentioned 922), serves as name giver of that area.

General

The Worringer Bruch is geographically with its 37.5 m above the sea level the lowest point of Cologne (the highest is 118.3 m: a hill in the wood of the Königsforst). The water level is closely related to the water level of the river Rhine. The breakthrough of the Worringer Bruch nowadays offers shelter for many forest types and cultural landscapes such as pastures and orchards. The priority, however, is the floodplain landscape. In addition, the Worringer Bruch serves as veluable regional habitat for several endangered plants and animal species.

For the conservation and protection of nature, rare animal and plant species, it serves as a kind of "green lungs" of Cologne. Also it is important for recreation and nature experience (hiking, exploring the flora and fauna). In 1991, the Worringer Bruch has been confirmed as a nature reserve.

Fauna

Thanks to the fact that large parts of the Worringer Bruch are difficult to access for people, there is an ideal habitat for many animal and bird species. These include:

* Slow worm
* Toad
* About 20 species of bats
* Nightingale
* Marsh harrier
* Black Woodpecker
* Long-eared Owl
* Honey buzzard

References

*This article was translated from the German Wikipedia. The entry is available [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worringer_Bruch here] .

External links

* [http://www.naturschutz-fachinformationssysteme-nrw.de/nsg/content/de/sachdaten/2006/K-009.html?jid=1o2o0o1 Expert information on the nature reserve (German language)]
* [http://www.naturschutz-fachinformationssysteme-nrw.de:8082/meldedok/?object=DE-4907-301 Some additonal detailed expert information in German language]