The “Stadtwald Augsburg” nature reserve encompasses the Lechaue in the south of the Augsburg city area. It lies on extensive gravel and gravel fields, some of which are several meters thick, which the Lech has transported from the Alps to the foothills of the Alps since the last ice age and deposited here. With approx. 21.5 km', the city forest is the largest nature reserve in Swabia outside the Alps. You can find all the main habitats of a pre-Alpine river landscape here, such as gravel banks, softwood meadows, snow-heath-pine forests, limestone grasslands, spring streams and limestone fens. Because of the many Rare and endangered animal and plant species as well as its important function as a stepping stone in the Lechtal biotope network, the Augsburg city forest is of outstanding, Europe-wide importance for nature conservation.
An area with history
As early as 1926, the Augsburg city forest was declared a plant protection area by local police regulations. The designation as a nature reserve took place in 1940 for the Haunstetter Forest sub-area and in 1942 for the Augsburg-Siebentischwald urban forest sub-area. The area acquired its current size in 1994 thanks to a new regulation issued by the government of Swabia - the higher nature conservation authority. In addition, the Augsburg city forest has been open since
1962 drinking water protection area, from which around 300,000 citizens are supplied with drinking water. The area is also known among those seeking relaxation. Every year, thousands of Augsburgers visit this “green lung” south of the city to find a break from everyday stress.