발텐하임‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪8‬개의 천연기념물

We walked in, talking quietly, and found ourselves with a small group of people with big goals, searching for bird images.

The Petite Camargue Alsacienne is located at the bend of the Rhine in the extreme southeast of the Haut-Rhin department, in the border triangle of France, Germany, and Switzerland. The nature reserve extends over a 15 km long and 1 to 2 km wide lowland formed by the Rhine at the southern tip of the Rhine Graben, directly after the Swiss border. Further information: https://www.petitecamarguealsacienne.com/de/

The Observatory overlooking Mittlere Au, nestled in the Petite Camargue Alsacienne nature reserve, is a true sanctuary for nature lovers. From this privileged vantage point, you can admire the splendor of the wetlands, where water and vegetation create a habitat teeming with life. The site is home to a wide variety of species: grey herons scan the calm waters, kingfishers burst forth in a burst of vivid colors, and great crested grebes glide silently across the surface. Majestic swans flit among the reeds, while migratory ducks occasionally enliven the landscape. As the seasons change, the wildlife evolves, offering constantly renewed spectacles to keen observers. This site is a window onto the richness of biodiversity, where each glance reveals a new wonder of the natural world.

Limestone quarrying has a long tradition in Istein and its surroundings and can be traced back to 1797. The Kapf quarry plant has been supplied since 1982. With the neighboring "Kalkgraben" mining area, the supply of raw materials to the plant is secured for the coming decades. Limestone quarrying is changing the landscape, no doubt. The Istein lime works of the Lhoist company are committed to using natural resources responsibly. In the comprehensive planning of the mining areas, in addition to the economic aspects, the interests of the environment and last but not least of the population are taken into account as best as possible. The measures to reduce and compensate for the impairments associated with the dismantling are consistently implemented and professionally accompanied. With the final recultivation, the former mining areas will be redesigned with various landscape elements. With the Kapf quarry adventure trail, the former quarry is made accessible to the population again as part of our cultural landscape. The hiking trail, which is about 3 kilometers long, leads through the former and now recultivated mining areas I and II. Information boards along the way inform visitors about limestone mining topics. You will also get a spectacular insight into the active part of the Kapf quarry. The conception and implementation of the information board and the leaflet was carried out by the WWL in cooperation with Wolfgang Röske, IfÖ, who has been carrying out the environmental planning of the lime plant for years.

I immediately fell in love with this beautiful place.

A wild boulder. Vines and cherries grow on both sides and above.

Impressive view of the Kapf limestone quarry of the Isteiner Kalkwerke.

From here you can peer down into a deep limestone quarry