Ministerium für Ländliche Entwicklung, Umwelt und Landwirtschaft

beech forest and pine forests, »mountains« and ravines, bogs, fields, meadows, hedges and even an inland dune. Melting water in the Ice Age washed out the Buckower Rinne which runs through the nature park. In the »Buckower Kes- sel« ( Kettle) there is the Schermützelsee lake which covers 146 hectares and is 40 metres deep. Just one and a half kilometres away the 129 metre hill, the »Krugberg«, rises up. In the Pritzhagen Hills there are two lakes – the Kleiner Tornowsee and the Großer Tornowsee – which is just 250 metres apart and have a difference in height of 16.5 metres. The once common species is heavily endangered not just in side in many places. Things are rather different in the narrow This is a landscape with many contours, where at every turn Fuel Station for Birds , even if their numbers are starting to recover. Buckower Kessel, where the town’s farmers only cultivated the Ice Age is within reach: with the boulders which have been The rushes through round 25 kilometres of the small areas of land. So it was that the Buckow vineyards and Almost all of the nature park is a European bird reserve. Little Switzerland transported here by glaciers which, among other things, have nature park and drops 43 metres in height. Once it used to the field lots at Fontaneweg, for example, came about. So Among the over 140 species of breeding birds which have been used to build roads and houses (as well as churches), drive many mill wheels. They have now largely disappeared. that these cultivated landscapes which came about through When you think of »Switzerland« you think of peaks, ravines been counted, there are the »big ones«: both black and white with the mighty glacial erratics such as the »Bollersdorfer The mill ponds remain, however: a hurdle which cannot be cultivation remain intact, the management of the nature park and views across the countryside. The Switzerland storks, both red and black kites, honey buzzards, white-tailed Stein« or deeply cut meltwater channels, such as the Silber­ crossed, not just by migrating fish species. Eight dams were organises contractual nature conservation, such as the mowing Nature Park has all this to offer – a good 30 kilometres from eagles and common cranes. Smaller species such as both the kehle, Buchenkehle and Wolfsschlucht, which are among the made passable again through the use of »fish stairs«, among of the water meadow to protect orchids, grazing to maintain the eastern edge of . Even if the peaks are not as high black and middle spotted woodpeckers, green sandpipers or most idyllic areas in the nature park. other things. Around 20 species of fish can be found teeming the species-rich dry grass and the planting of hedges, which and the ravines (also called gorges) are not so deep: the ups barred warbler also belong to the area and diversity of habitat. There are beautiful broad views across the countryside from between the Pritzhagen and Eichendorf mills alone, among provides all-round ecology that shapes the landscape in many and downs of some routes are as breathtaking as the beauty of In a lakeland area of almost 300 hectares from Altfriedland to the panorama path and from the Bollersdorfer Höhe to the which are rare examples such as chub, the European bitter- areas. Intervention by humans is not necessary everywhere: the landscape. It has been primarily shaped by the last Ice Age Karlsdorf up to 40,000 bean and white-fronted geese rest here Schermützelsee lake, from the Krugberg and Dachsberg in the ling, European weather loach, spined loach and gudgeon. It such as in alder and ash forests in the Stobbertal nature con- which came to an end here around 12,000 years ago. There are in the autumn. Common terns, black-headed and silver gulls Pritzhagen Hills, from the viewpoint at Münchehofe across the used to be just six species. In the nature park the beaver has servation area, the deciduous forests by the Schermützelsee also broad views across the countryside and you can hear an equally belong to the scenery, which can be easily seen from Klobichsee lake or from the Galgenberg hill near Reichenberg now joined the otter, the water shrew and the rest. lake, the mature forest in the Tiergarten nature conservation echo can be heard at the »Kleiner Tornowsee« lake. 160 years the observation tower, possibly with the aid of binoculars. across to the wide fields of . area, in the Silberkehle and the Wolfsschlucht. Here in the ago the hilly area got its name as city dwellers in search of re- Fishing also takes place here and the fisherman’s festival is Cultivated Landscape apparent disorderliness you can make out the natural order laxation and fresh air increasingly move into the countryside. celebrated in August every year in Altfriedland. which supports the lives of many species. Since this time almost 70 landscapes in Germany have been Meets Wilderness given the attractive epithet of a dream landscape: Switzerland. Stairs for Fish The nature park established under the National Park Programme A good third of the area of the nature park is forest: with a Publisher: Ministry of Rural Development, Environment and Agriculture of the Federal State of Brandenburg of the last East German government is, with 205 square kilome- The clear, oxygenrich Stobber is the central flowing water in the noticeably high population of elm, copper beech, common Editorial staff: Märkische Schweiz Nature Park in the Brandenburg State Office of Environment tres, the smallest yet »longest-serving« in the State of Branden- nature park. It rises up in the , flows from the south hornbeam, common oak, sessile oak ... and deadwood. In the Photographs: Bausewein, Hoffmann, Klaeber, Klinger, Liebke, Rasmus, Märkische Schweiz Naturwacht Brandenburg burg, which today has a total of 15 large conservation areas. west to the north east through the lakes of the Buckower Kessel. Buckower Kessel, a large basin with lakes and ravines, mist Map: Pro Line Concept, Berlin Design/creation: Power-DesignThing GmbH Nature Park It is situated in the district of Märkisch-Oderland between the Marsh areas, remnants of riparian forests, and headwaters and high humidity are often prevalent: it is a good place for Printed by: Landesvermessung und Geobasisinformation Brandenburg This publication is printed on environmentally friendly paper. towns of , Müncheberg and , well line its largely natural course. It is a habitat which has become the copper beech. Buckow is derived from the Slavonic word As of: August 2017 known for its Schinkel-designed buildings and Lenné park. In just increasingly rare for the »heraldic animal« of the nature park: »buk« meaning copper beech. The manor system which once a small area almost all types of landscape can be found: lakes the common club-tail (club-tail dragonfly), one of 53 species dominated today’s nature park with relatively large fields is The Märkische Schweiz Nature Park is part of “Nationale Naturland- schaften” (National Natural Landscapes), the umbrella brand for Naturpark and kettle ponds, springs and streams, fish ponds and ditches, of the dragonfly which have been verified as living in the area. one of the reasons for the unspoilt views across the country- German National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, Nature Parks and Wilder- ness Areas, supported by the registered charity EUROPARC Germany. Märkische Schweiz TF Katharinenhof Metzdorf NP Herzhorn Uckermärkische BR Flusslandschaft NemitzRheinsbergNP Seen NLP Elbe-Brandenburg Stechlin- BR Unteres Ruppiner Land Schorfheide- Odertal Chorin NP Prötzel NeufriedlandNe NP Barnim Multitasking: For visitors Bernau Reichenow Numerous areas West- NP and people who live in the havelland Märkische significant for species BERLIN Schweiz Europäisches nature park, fishermen and Potsdam Gottesgabe Vogelschutz- protection and natural NP gebiet Dahme- Prädikow Batzlow 167 e farmers the staff of the NP NP e scenery are disregarded Heideseen rs Hoher Nuthe- NP e t Nature Watch (Naturwacht) Fläming Nieplitz Schlaubetal s by industrial farming. In

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BR K Altfriedland are point of contact. They Spreewald Ihlow order to prevent natural e NLP = national park (Nationalpark) NP e Großschutzgebiete S manage biotope and species BR = biosphere reserve Niederlausitzer S reforestation and thus r o in Brandenburg Landrücken Ringenwalde e p

(Biosphärenreservat) PLACE OFFERINGS Accommodation/inns information Tourist Bathing Environmental facilities education heritage Museums/local museums/exhibitions tz h NP e conservation projects, as NP = nature park (Naturpark) ie i conserve endangered NLP = Nationalpark Niederlausitzer n Lettinsee K f BR = Biosphärenreservat Heidelandschaft li Altfriedland • • • • well as carrying out constant e species, those areas Large Nature Reserves in ß NP = Naturpark Karlsdorf Bollersdorf • • monitoring of rare species Brandenburg are being conserved by Reichenberg Buckow • • • • • Dolgensee such as beavers, otters and Grunow compatible grazing or Garzau • • • bats, offering guided walks mowing as two means of Garzin • Ernsthof and looking after the junior TF landscape management. Hermersdorf • Neuhardenberg rangers, the »Swiss Bears«. Grazing mixed flocks has Ihlow • Pritzhagen Julianenhof • Klosterdorff Stafsee been found especially r S Julianenhof e Müncheberg • • • • b successful here. b o Münchehofe • • • t S Neuhardenberg • • • “… like velvet on the lungs” Strausberg Bollersdorf Kl. und Gr. R1 Tornowsee Obersdorf • • Pritzhagen • The black woodpecker is S NSG TF Wulkow ee Stobbertal Prötzel • • The small town of Buckow, which today has around 1,700 a characteristic species of ls Hohensteinenstein e z Treuenhof t Hermersdorf Reichenberg • natural forests. Here there ü L Drei Eichen inhabitants and was the first Kneipp health resort in the State m r Ringenwalde • e are, for example, sufficient Hasenholz h c Ruhlsdorf • of Brandenburg, received the highest praise from the personal Ruhlsdorfer S S S S old trees to make nesting, See Buckow • • • • • doctor to Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV in 1854: »Majesty, sleeping and hiding holes. NSG Birkensee Werder • Ruhlsdorfer Münchehofe Wherever the black wood- Gladowshöhe Bruch Buckow is like velvet on the lungs«. With the opening of Liebenhof Klobich- NSG see R1 Hintersee pecker is, numerous new R1 NSG the Buckow narrow-gauge railway on the Berlin-Küstrin line, Gartzsee Klobich- Märkische Schweiz nature Märkische Schweiz tenants are not far behind, see Waldsievers- Park, Management, Culture and Tourism Office and increasing numbers of people were able to experience the Bergschäferei dorf Vorder- bats for example. Garzin »Schweizer Haus« Visitor Centre, NSG Haussee the gallery »Zum Alten Warmbad« »velvet on the lungs«: from 1897 the number of day trippers Tiergarten Hermersdorf- Ranger Service Sebastian-Kneipp-Weg 1, 15377 Buckow Obersdorf Gr. Lindenstraße 33, 15377 Buckow Tel. (03 34 33) 5 75 00 o. 6 59 82, soared. Besides , Egon Erwin Kisch, Bertolt Deadwood: an all-rounder. Däbersee Trebnitz Fax 5 77 19 Stobber Kl. Däbersee Nature Park management tel.: Depending on the phase of h Dahmsdorf touristinfo@-maerkische-schweiz.de Brecht, and Helene Weigel among others came here. The Garzau (03 34 33) 1 58-40, Fax -42 decomposition, it is a supply www.maerkischeschweiz.eu annual summer literature festival in the Brecht-Weigel House Kl. Visitor centre tel.: (03 34 33) 1 58-41 of insects for woodpeck- Schlagenthinsee Visitor centre opening hours: Müncheberg local information in Buckow, once their summer residence, ties into the area’s ers and others, offers them Wasserscheide Werder open daily 10 – 16 h a place to make a home, Nordsee – Ostsee Brigittenhof in the »Torwächterhäuschen« important past. However, in Brandenburg Switzerland there np-maerkische-schweiz@lfu. Ernst-Thälmann-Str. 101, NSG Gr. offers wild bees a hatchery, ß brandenburg.de Rehfelde- ie Gumnitz und Schlagenthin- JahnsJah felde 15374 Müncheberg is not just good air and literature, but also lots to see: from Dorf fl R o t e s L u c Gr. Schlagenthinsee see the common toad a place to n Marienfeld www.maerkische-schweiz-naturpark.de le Tel. (03 34 32) 7 09 31, Fax 8 11 43 h Natura Trail Altfriedland which has the remains of a Cistercian convent to overwinter, shelter for small ü [email protected] M www.naturfreunde- Tel./Fax Ranger Service: (03 34 33) 60 63 BoundaryGrenze Naturpark of the Märkische Märkische Schweiz Schweiz Nature Park www.stadt-muencheberg.de Ihlow with its »open farms« and masterly fieldstone construc- mammals, and food in the 1 brandenburg.de [email protected] Zinndorf form of mushrooms. The L NatureNaturschutzgebiet conservation (NSG)area www.naturwacht.de Waldsieversdorf Culture, Exhibition tions – whether church, farmhouse or wall – which almost list of species which live off Müncheberg Nature Park Route InformationInformation Naturschutz-Nature conservation and Tourism Centre Informationinformation www.wanderbares- Verein Langes Haus everywhere shape the appearance of localities in nature park. deadwood or in it ranges 5 Wilhelm-Pieck-Straße 23, Neuenhagen – deutschland.de Altfriedland e.V. from ants to tinder fungus. Lichtenow- CycleRadwanderwege routes 15377 Waldsieversdorf Brandenburg Switzerland has long been an easily-accessible Dorf Altfriedland Hauptstraße 23 d, 15320 Neuhardenberg TF »RadwanderwegTheodor Fontane« Tel. (03 34 33) 15 77 82, Fax 15 77 85 And what is left over from Stobber Philippinenhof Trebnitz – Möglin Julianenhof OT Altfriedland paradise for walkers. Since 2010 it has been possible to get to cycle„Theodor route Fontane“ [email protected] the deadwood? Nutrients for LehrpfadEducational im trail in the Bat Museum Tel. (03 34 76) 5 09 57 R1 Cycle route 1 L www.waldsieversdorf.info know the area on the 17 km long Natura Trail and the 21 km the forest. 1/5 Radwanderweg 1 MünchebergerMüncheberg forest Stadtforst www.fledermausmuseum- Tourist information and exhibition NaturerlebnispfadBehlendorf julianenhof.de/ »Altfriedland local history« Eggersdorf AreaGebietswanderwege trail L Drei Eichen nature trail long certified Brandenburg Switzerland Nature Park Route. Drei Eichen (Visitation by prior appointment)

R1 0 5 km N