The 32.1 hectare (ha) nature reserve is located about 255 m above sea level in the Neckar Valley west of the city of Wernau and belongs to the natural area Filder.
Until the end of the 19th century, the Neckar valley between Köngen and Wendlingen was characterized by meadow land. Only in the middle of the 20th century did the mechanical gravel mining completely change the face of the Neckar valley. On Wendlingen, there were up to 20 ha open water surface and only the large Pfauhäuser Baggersee was 35 ha. After the gravel deposits were exploited, more and more dredging lakes were backfilled. Also for the Wernauer Baggerseen there were considerations to overbuild it. Already in 1974, the German Federation for Bird Protection (DBV, as the NABU was then called) presented the application to designate the Wernauer Baggerseen as a nature reserve after more than 200 bird species had been detected there over the years. In June 1981, the Nature Conservation Order was adopted. The care of the nature reserve was officially transferred to the DBV by the regional council of Stuttgart. In March 1992, the directly adjacent nature reserve Neckarwasen was expelled. As a result, the protected area increased to 45.4 ha and has since been completely looked after by the NABU.
An auto test track of Daimler AG (formerly Mercedes-Benz AG) is located in the middle of the nature reserve. In March 1996, talks between NABU and Daimler began with the aim of outsourcing the test track. In November 2006, NABU State Chairman Dr. Stefan Rösler again to Dieter Zetsche, the CEO of Daimler AG with the request to finally give up the test track to the Wernauer Baggerseen. Zetsche promised a forced search for alternatives. With the construction of the test track in Immendingen, the test track in Wernau will be replaced in the future.
Source: Wikipedia