-Largest nature reserve in Middle Franconia-
Area identifier: NSG-00483.01
Size: 936 hectares
Established: 1994
FFH area
bird sanctuary
quick info
-Towards the end of the 19th century, first military use as a shooting range and parade ground;
-From 1935 Wehrmacht training ground (440 hectares of forest, of which 195 hectares were cleared);
- after World War II until 1993 military training area of the US armed forces;
-since 1994 nature reserve
-from 2003 grazing of the sandy grassland and heaths by Przewalski horses and
from 2012 to protect the area from bushes support peacock goats;
The "Tennenloher Forst" nature reserve is one of the largest sand ecosystems in southern Germany and is home to over 1,600 animal and plant species, many of which are on the Red List.
The core area of the nature reserve is around 100 hectares of open space of the former Range 6 shooting range.
After American tanks had kept the areas open until 1994, a desertification with reed grass and bushes with pine, birch and bird cherry began in the following years.
However, the goal of conservation is to preserve the open sand habitats. Rare and endangered species, like the
blue-winged sand cricket,
Blue-winged grasshopper, digger wasp
or silver grass
are adapted to these locations and disappear with increasing bush cover.
Grazing with goats (peacock goats) and wild horses (Przewalski's horse) prevents this.
In addition to the centrally located open areas of the former shooting range, there are also the open areas on the Geyersberg (another former shooting range in the nature reserve) that are primarily used as
Woodlark hatchery
are of importance.
This area, with a size of approx. 5 hectares, is also grazed with goats to keep it open.
In addition, there are valuable bog areas and ponds
with peat moss (Sphagnum), water hose (Utricularia)
and sundew (Drosera)
in the extensive forest areas.
There are information boards along the enclosure fence and at special biotopes.
The area is part of the
Fauna-Flora-Habitat-Area Sandheiden in the Middle Franconian Basin (FFH-Nr. 6432-3012; WDPA-Nr. 555521542) and des
Nuremberg Reichswald bird sanctuary (FFH no. 6533-471; WDPA no. 555537802).