The most important meadow breeding area in southeast Bavaria
The Haarmoos is located west of the Abtsdorfer See in the communities Saaldorf-Surheim and Laufen im Rupertiwinkel is the most important meadow breeding area in southeast Bavaria. It has a total area of approx. 400 hectares and, as a wetland, is one of the most endangered habitats. The formation of hair moss began more than 10,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age, when the area it is today was covered by a shallow lake after the glaciers had melted. When the lake silted up, a low moor initially formed, which would normally have developed into a high moor. However, since the Prince-Bishop of Salzburg, Hieronymus, had the land usable for the farmers through drainage measures in the 18th century, a species-rich wetland was created.
Abtsdorfer See landscape protection area
In order to reduce the disturbance of the birds during the breeding season and to protect rare plants, a route plan with visitor guidance measures was introduced in 1987. The meadow breeding areas may therefore not be entered from March 20 to June 15. The State Association for Bird Protection in Bavaria has bought around 50 hectares in Haarmoos and has created several sea lakes filled with groundwater. Rootstocks were milled out on a wet meadow to enable regular mowing.The mowing of the litter meadows is carried out by tractors with twin tires to better distribute the weight, and late in autumn, as many plants produce seeds late, birds provide cover and the caterpillars of the meadow button -Blue ants leave the plants and must have already got into an ant burrow. The main trenches are cleared every three years to allow further cultivation of the areas.