The conservation organization Natagora/BNVS began purchasing land in 1978, which is biologically very valuable. The areas consist of species-rich, extensively managed, damp meadows. The Holzwarchetal nature reserve has a high level of biodiversity, as the land was only cultivated in the traditional way. It is also a very vulnerable area and can only be preserved with targeted protection measures.
The Holzwarchetal nature reserve varies in altitude between 560 and 650 above sea level. The area is known for its botanical wealth. Due to the high rainfall, the altitude and the cool climate, plant communities that definitely have a Nordic character have been able to survive in the headwaters at the "Kappertzvenn" and at the Weißen Stein, the second highest point in Belgium.
In the first half of April, thousands of yellow daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) can be seen in the extensive meadows along the Holzwarche. This image attracts many visitors every year. From the second half of May there are other interesting plants such as mountain knapweed (Centaurea montana), bearwort (Meum athamanticum) and snake knotweed (Persicaria bistorta).
The flora of the Holzwarchetal was thus essentially shaped by the multi-thousand-year changeable landscape history of the High Ardennes region and is therefore an important cultural-historical testimony.
The Holzwarche rises not far from the German-Belgian border at the Losheimergraben at an altitude of 660 m above sea level. NN and is therefore one of the highest water systems in the area of the German-Belgian biotope network in the North Eifel. It flows over a length of 8 km first in a northerly and then in a westerly direction and flows into the reservoir of Bütgenbach. Its entire course has been preserved in a relatively natural state. (Source Wikipedia)