Brandenburg Wilderness
Foundation
The Brandenburg Wilderness Foundation took the opportunity to found wilderness on the sites of four selected former military training grounds. Founded by private and public partners in 2000, it now owns and takes care of over 14,400 hectares that are unique in Germany for their size, lack of roads and wilderness development.
With the aim of supporting, experiencing as well as exploring wilderness (“Wildnis stiften, erleben und erforschen”) the Foundation has taken a holistic approach from the beginning, striving to promote wider knowledge of wilderness and to make its beauty and fascination accessible for the public.
WILDERNESS AREAS
Between 2002 and now, the Foundation gradually purchased a total of 14,400 hectares of land on the former military training grounds of Jüterbog, Heidehof and Lieberose south of Berlin and Tangersdorf north of Berlin. All of the purchased areas are designated nature reserves, some of them being additionally assigned FFH or SPA status.
With approximately 670 hectares, the Tangersdorf Wilderness Area is the smallest of the foundation’s properties. However, it is embedded in a larger nature reserve and is located on a former military training ground with a total size of 6,000 hectares.
Size / Landscapes
670 hectares featuring valuable waters, marshes, old-growth forests, and heathlands.
Highlights
Activities of beaver families have created a 150-hectare reservoir area with lakes and wetlands in the vicinity of the foundation’s land. Rare insect and bird species are also characteristic for the Tangersdorf Wilderness Area.
Jüterbog Wilderness Area is the largest property of the Wilderness Foundation. Having been used for military purposes from the 19th century until the 1990s, a huge contiguous area here remained uninhabited and free from roads and private usage. The total area of the former military training ground covers 9,300 hectares.
Size / Landscapes
7,200 hectares featuring a great landscape diversity ranging from sand dunes, heath, and pioneer forests in the central area to wetlands and older forests on the outskirts.
Experience
30 km of hiking trails, impressive inland dune, and guided excursions.
Heidehof Wilderness Area is just a few kilometers away from the Jüterbog Wilderness Area and is part of an even larger former military training ground with a total area of 12,000 hectares. The Nature Landscapes Brandenburg Foundation owns approximately 3,400 hectares there.
Size / Landscapes
3,400 hectares featuring pioneer forests, open land areas, or heathland.
Highlights
Heidehof Wilderness Area provides ample space for the local wolf pack and many rare insect and bird species such as stag beetles and nightjars.
Lieberose
The Lieberose Wilderness Area comprises 3,150 hectares of land, which are part of the largest former military training area in East Germany. A mosaic of near-natural forest and aquatic habitats can be found here, with a wide variety of animal species, including impressive representatives such as wolves, otters, beavers, and white-tailed eagles.
Size / Landscapes
3,150 hectares, forming part of the 25,500-hectare former military training area, featuring valuable moors and clear-water lakes, heaths, and extensive sand areas.
Experience
Views from the former General’s Hill, star and wilderness trails, as well as designated hiking paths and guided excursions.
Our vision
“We, the Brandenburg Wilderness Foundation, protect and network large wilderness areas so that nature can develop freely. This is our contribution to the preservation of biodiversity. We create the ancient woodlands of tomorrow and bring people nearer to the importance and beauty of undisturbed nature.”
Our wilderness at a glance
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WILDERNESS
currently exists in Germany.
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WILDERNESS AREAS
are managed by the Wilderness Foundation in Brandenburg.
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Hectares
is the total area they cover.
Wilderness area
Jüterbog
The huge area “Jüterbog” stayed coherent and not dissected by roads, settlements or other uses because it has been under military use from the 19th century to 1994 (size of former military training ground: 9,300 hectares). It is now a nature reserve and part of the nature park “Nuthe-Nieplitz”. More than 75% percent are already free of all kinds of intervention. The landscape differs from sand dunes, heathlands and evolving forests in the central area to wetlands and older forests in the fringe. Rare species as Grey Wolf, European Otter, Bechstein’s bat and hoopoe live there and the area is listed as FFH and SPA. A 30 km network of hiking trails lets people participate in nature’s development and beauty.
Wilderness area
Lieberose
“Lieberose” offers a variety of valuable forest- and wetland-biotopes as bogs and lakes together with heathlands and large sandy areas. The foundation’s area is part of one of the biggest former military areas (25,500 ha) of GDR. “Lieberose” is habitat for plenty of species with impressing representatives such as Grey Wolf, European otter, beaver and white-tailed Eagle. Special feature of “Lieberose” is its geological configuration as a complete glacial series. Parts of it are also a nature reserve and FFH- and SPA-area and the most parts are managed without any interventions.
Wilderness area
Heidehof
“Heidehof” is only a few kilometres east of the foundation’s area “Jüterbog” and part of an even bigger former military training ground with a total area of 12.000 hectares. A part is temporarily used as a wind farm but 2,300 hectares are already free of interventions. “Heidehof” is a feeding ground for the neighbouring Wolf population and also houses rare species as European Nightjar and stag beetle Lucanus cervus. It is also protected as nature reserve, FFH and SPA.
Wilderness area
Tangersdorf
“Tangersdorf” is the smallest of the foundation grounds but is embedded in an even bigger nature reserve and former military training area with a total area of 6,000 hectares. An impressing particularity is the beaver-built 150 hectares area of swamps and lakes in its surroundings. Valuable wetlands and bogs with rare insects and birds species are characteristic for “Tangersdorf” but you also find old growth forests and heathlands there. The area is listed as FFH and SPA.
Making nature in its beauty and fascination accessible is the stated goal of Brandenburg Wilderness Foundation. Wilderness areas have always held a fascination for us humans. They are therefore demonstrably also an important factor for ecotourism and regional development.
The Foundation constructs hiking trails, picnic areas and vistas in selected areas. Visitors can discover the landscape on their own on the paths cleared of munitions. Furthermore guided hikes and bike tours offer exciting insights into areas that are normally not accessible. Experience the Broom Flower, On the trail of Wild Animals, Amphibian Concert at the Red Puddles are just some of the names of the excursions that Brandenburg Wilderness Foundation offers together with park rangers, foresters and volunteer environmental protection experts.
Events
Projects
Research
Monitoring projects for different kinds of plants and animals are carried out on the grounds of Brandenburg Wilderness Foundation. An exciting area of research is, for example the return of wolves to Germany: using photo traps and trained observers, behaviour and new settlements of wolves are being investigated on the Foundation‘s properties. Brandenburg Wilderness Foundation oversees research work and takes part in the education of students by offering excursions.
Participants of the Voluntary Ecological Year and people doing civilian service get insight into the practice of research and learn how to map fens or collect insects, for example. The Foundation offers a broad spectrum of topics for dissertations and theses. Areas of research are for example natural succession on former military territories, retro-conversion of wetlands and development of fens, networking biotopes or environmental education. Research relationships with universities, institutes and other institutions of higher education are welcome.
Projects
The natural world of “Lieberoser Heide”
The wilderness area of Lieberose forms the core of wilderness within the framework of the natural world of Lieberoser Heide, as part of a large nature conservation and regional development project. The goal of the project is to make wilderness development tangible on the former military training ground Lieberose. We promote nature-based tourism and sustainable regional development, ensuring that the region benefits from its natural treasures. Working collaboratively with municipal and regional stakeholders, we actively contribute to the ongoing development of this forward-looking major project.
