Spreewald

The Spreewald ( Lower Błota, " the swamp " ) is a vast lowland area and a historic cultural landscape in the southeast of the state of Brandenburg. The main feature is the natural course of the river branch of the Spree, which has been significantly extended by applied channels. As meadows and moorlands it has national importance for nature conservation and is protected as a biosphere reserve (see Spreewald Biosphere Reserve ). The Spreewald as a cultural landscape has been significantly influenced by the Sorbs. The area is one of the most popular destinations in the state of Brandenburg.

Geography

Structure

The Spreewald is situated in the counties of Spree- Neisse, Dahme-Spreewald Spreewald and Upper -Lausitz. It is divided into the southern and larger upper Spree forest and the northern, smaller sub- Spreewald. Between the two sub- landscapes, the Spree united over a short distance in the city Lubben.

The southern boundary of the Spreewald, the Lusatian border wall, but from the Spreewald only very gradually rises to its more southern main heights. In the north, the transition to the dry Lieberoser Heath forms a distinctive landscape border. The eastern and western boundary of the Upper Spreewald is a bit blurry, because there each continues the Baruth glacial valley. The mine Cottbus Nord today forms the eastern border of artificially created. In the Spreewald Krausnicker mountains to the west and the Marienberg form highly visible landmarks for the boundary to the east. Unlike the upper Spree forest of smaller sub- Spreewald fills the valley here but not completely and is limited to the western part. In general, the Neuendorfer lake is believed to be northern border of the Spreewald. However, the river branch ends only a few kilometers east of the confluence of the River Spree in the Pretschener Hauptspree.

Geology and Geomorphology

The scenery was, as all of Brandenburg, formed during the ice age. During the subsequent heights to the south of the Lusatian border Walles were shaped by the ice advances during the penultimate, the Saale ice age, the Spreewald and the north adjoining areas emerged during the Weichsel glaciation. The Spreewald thus belongs to the southernmost young moraine. During the sub- Spreewald was still completely covered by the most recent ice sheet, the ice in the Upper Spreewald reached its maximum expansion to the south. This effort, however, was of little effect, so that there are no traces visible on the surface visible. Only north, on the Lieberoser heath and on the Krausnicker mountains are found with moraines and Sandern the typical elements of the Glacial series.

The Upper Spreewald itself lies completely in Baruth glacial valley which led away the meltwater of the inland ice to the west. The sub- Spreewald, however, lies in a Urstromtalung that was created when the meltwater there left the Baruth glacial valley to the north. As a reason for a gap in Endmoränenzug and the low position of the back country is considered. Both the glacial valley and the north subsequent Talung be built by mighty sands. Only in Leipe is like an island boulder clay from the Saale glaciation. Due to the location in the glacial valleys, the landscape of the Spreewald is extremely flat and almost flat table. Only some dunes that were blowing after the drying up of meltwater from the sands, extend to all about Lubben and Unterspreewald out of the plane. Somewhat elevated and therefore not vermoorte areas are referred to as Kaupen.

The comparatively small river Spree flows through today the vast plains that were not created by you, but by the many larger meltwater of Urstromes. Your slope is therefore extremely low. Between Cottbus and the Neuendorfer lake (about 70 km run course ) there is only 15 m.

In the post-glacial river Spree flowed initially as meandering rather than braided river by the current Spreewald area. It was not until the emergence of the characteristic river branch, referred to in the art as anastomosing river, led to the present-day landscape. Accompanying work, extensive Vermoorungen and the formation of Klock, as mentioned in the Spreewald Auelehm. The exact cause and the age of the river branch in the Spreewald, however, are still not sufficiently clarified.

Soils

In the Spreewald influenced by groundwater soils predominate ( hydromorphic soils) and moorland. On slightly higher, flood-free locations are found primarily Gleye. Transitional forms of brown soil are common. In the flood- affected areas of eastern Upper Spreewald Vegen are common, but usually show the transitions to the Gleyböden. In deeper, but not yet mire areas Anmoorgleye and Moorgleye occur. Especially in the western Upper Spreewald and the lower Spreewald Moore, here as fens, is widespread. They interlock over long distances with the gley and Vegaböden mentioned above. Nearly all the bogs in the Spreewald show due to the lowering of ground water Vererdungserscheinungen.

Climate

The Spreewald is how all of Brandenburg also, in the transition region from the oceanic climate of western Europe to the continental climate of Eastern Europe. Due to its opposite the northern and southern hinterland deep location of the Spreewald has the typical lowland climatic characteristics that manifest themselves mainly in radiation weather conditions.

Coldest month at the station Lubben is January with an average temperature of -0.7 ° C, the warmest July with approximately 18.2 ° C ( period 1901-1950 ). The annual average is 8.5 ° C. Because of its lowland location the Spreewald area is frost susceptible, as can form a pool of cold air with radiation weather conditions. Therefore foggy days occur in the Spreewald on much more frequently than in the surrounding areas.

The average annual rainfall is in the Spreewald usually less than 550 mm (Station Great Lubolz 521 mm; 1891-1930 ) with a pronounced summer maximum and Winter-/Frühjahrsminimum. However, the surrounding areas with higher rainfall amount of 550 mm are only slightly damp. The reasons are firstly the still modest level differences to the higher plates. Altitudes above 100 m are the exception within the Spreewald. The Krausnicker mountains up to 144 m are located upstream west high, are too small to produce an effective rain shadow. In addition, the Baruth glacial valley in which the upper Spree forest is aligned from west-north- west to east-southeast. That's about the trajectory of numerous precipitation areas, so that hardly can act rain shadow effects.

Hydrology

The many natural leveling and artificial channels have a total length of over 970 kilometers.

Settlements

Total Area: 3173 km ², of which surface in the rural area of around 2,800 km ²

Population: about 285,000, of which population in rural areas approximately 103,000

Population density: 84.9 inhabitants / km ², population density in rural areas about 37 inhabitants / km ²..

• Alt Zauche - Wußwerk
• Babow / Spreewald (municipality Kolkwitz )
• Burg (Spreewald )
• Byhleguhre - Byhlen
• Lubben (Spreewald)
• Lübbenau ( Spreewald) Lehde
• Leipe
• Boblitz

Regional specificity in the delivery of mail

From April to October, the Post in Lübbenau is delivered to the hamlet Lehde by water. The postman use here a yellow post Kahn without outboard motor which is moved by a stakend pack. A pack is a four -meter-long rod of ash, resembling a very small rudder. Since the Punting is always the danger that the pack gets stuck and breaks, located on each boat at least a spare pack.

Economic Area

The Spreewald is known throughout Germany as a tourist destination and for the production of natural organic products. Therefore, the tourist and economic delineation of the Spreewald designed significantly heavier than the geographical. Due to its popularity and the related benefit to the limits of tourism or economic region Spreewald increasingly distant from the actual natural space Spreewald. Especially for the regional food industry, the economic region Spreewald was created, which is significantly greater than the actual Spreewald. This economic region is protected as a geographical indication within the EU. Prior to the protected status of the room there were several legal disputes over the designation Spreewald on food. Certain notoriety reached the so-called war cucumbers.

Nature protection and hazard

Here there are about 18,000 animal and plant species, in 1991 received the Spreewald recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve.

In particular, by pollution from the Lusatian lignite mining area of the Spreewald is at risk. By leaching of iron hydroxide from the surface mines several tons of brown ocher mud are daily introduced into the Spree River and other bodies of water, poisoning the river flora and fauna slowly. Also, there are large sulfate entries. Particularly affected are rivers like the Wudritz who already considered dead.