The Low German field name "Dübelsheide" means "Devil's Sheath" in High German. A description of the most important natural monuments in Lower Saxony was published in 1980. Then there is the most beautiful and largest juniper forest in the country in the Dübelsheide. It consists of hundreds of densely packed junipers covering an area of about 20 hectares. Many of the junipers have bizarre shapes that create mysterious shapes, especially on foggy days.
At the time of heathland farming, juniper was considered a pasture weed because it hindered the heathland sheep from grazing on the heathland. The shepherds made sure that the juniper did not get out of hand. The wood of the bush was not only used for heating but was also ideal for smoking fish or for turning. The berry cones of the juniper are a coveted spice for refining sauerkraut and sauerbraten. They are also the raw material for the production of gin. In the 19th century, juniper berries were an important German export item. For example, in 1880, 90,000 kilograms of juniper berries were shipped to France.
Today the juniper is considered endangered. The nutrient-poor and sparsely populated locations that it populated can only rarely be found in today's cultivated landscape. If a juniper stands in a pine forest, this is usually a sign that there used to be open heathland at this point.