One of the last untouched raised moor areas in Europe is located in Baden-Württemberg

1. Mannheim24
2. Region

Stand: January 18, 2025, 2:01 p.m

Von: Stephanie Bach, Julian Baumann

PressSplit

Kaltenbronn – A raised moor in the Black Forest protects endangered species. But climate change is endangering this important protected area, which has been preserved for over 60 years.

For centuries, moorland landscapes were considered eerie and were avoided because it was believed that ghosts and will-o’-the-wisps could endanger unwary hikers. In fact, raised bogs, also known as rainfed bogs, with their acidic environment and constant water saturation, provide a habitat for specialized plants and animals, including many endangered species. However, these habitats are at great risk worldwide due to peat mining and the entry of mineral salts.

The Wildseemoor Kaltenbronn: An untouched raised moor in the Black Forest

The largest remaining rainforest areas are in Western Siberia and Canada. One of the last untouched raised bogs in Europe is located in the Kaltenbronn nature and forest reserve in Baden-Württemberg. The Black Forest is known for its superlatives, such as the tallest tree in Germany or the largest cuckoo clock in the world. The Wildseemoor Kaltenbronn is also impressive as it is said to have been created around 10,000 years ago.

The Wildseemoor Kaltenbronn was the first nature reserve in Baden-Württemberg. It is the largest raised moor area in the Black Forest and has been under protection for over 60 years. This biotope between Bad Wildbad, Gernsbach and Forbach was the first of its kind in the state.

Natural wonder worth protecting: Importance of the Wildseemoor for environmental protection

Despite its sparse vegetation of bushes and mosses, the Wildseemoor is special because it is one of the few remaining intact biotopes. Intact bogs are those that have not been artificially drained and still consist of 95 percent water. They are important carbon stores and contribute to environmental protection.

According to the municipality of Gernsbach, the Wildsee in the center of the raised moor is the largest raised moor in Germany with an area of ​​1.4 hectares. The Kaltenbronn high moor can be visited as part of hikes in the Black Forest National Park, as boardwalks laid out by a Black Forest association run through the area. Alternatively, the Pforzheim–Waldshut hiking trail leads around the entire protected area. However, climate change with rising temperatures, persistent dry periods and a lack of precipitation also threatens one of the last intact raised bogs in Germany.

Recreation for the Wildseemoor: Rain lets the raised moor in the Black Forest breathe a sigh of relief

The high sea moor in the Black Forest may have recovered somewhat from all the rain. The “SWR” reported that the heat waves and droughts had severely affected the Kaltenbronn raised moor, as moors require a lot of moisture and cooler temperatures. In the summer of 2023, temperatures in Baden-Württemberg reached up to 40 degrees again. However, weather services reported that there was more rain in Germany than in 16 years. Therefore, the Wildseemoor in the Black Forest may have recovered somewhat.

This would be desirable because the Kaltenbronn raised moor between the communities of Bad Wildbad, Gernsbach and Forbach is one of the last intact raised moor areas in Europe and contributes significantly to biodiversity in the Black Forest. A few kilometers away, in the municipality of Baiersbronn, there is another body of water called Wildsee. However, Baiersbronn is better known for its high density of star restaurants, which is unique in Germany. (sba)