Lewitz

The Lewitz is placed under protection landscape in Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania, which is characterized by wide, flat meadows and arable land, fish ponds and isolated forest areas.

Geography

The area of ​​the Lewitz extends southwest Mecklenburg south of Schwerin between the towns Crivitz, Parchim, Neustadt- Glewe and Banzkow. The areal extent is about 16,800 hectares. The landscape is crossed by the Elde, whose original river bed is available in parts whose channeled course, the Müritz-Elde - Waterway ( MEW ), the interference channel, which flows into the MEW, the new channel and the Brenzer channel. The stated under conservation Lewitz is crossed by numerous drainage ditches. The stagnant waters include the protective arc, extended Friedrich Moorer and Neuhöfer carp ponds north of Neustadt- Glewe and the New Town Lake.

Within the Lewitz are the nature reserves clinker Plage, fish ponds in the Lewitz, Friedrichsmoor and Töpferberg.

Origin of the name

The name is derived differently. It is a widespread assumption that the word derives from the Slavic Lewitz Lowit and thus collect hunting or game-rich area means. Is also called lowej ( Bohemian for wood, Grove ). Another possibility is the relationship with the Slavic - li, liv, lijati is for basting, raining, the Russian Lyva or liva for swamp forest or the Bulgarian / Serbian livada for meadow.

History

The Lewitz as all of Mecklenburg formed in the last ice age. In the melting of the glaciers, the Lewitz and Störtal filled with melt water, this washed a sink of 12,000 hectares. A 16 meter deep lake was created. Later, a sudden outflow was to the south. The lake and marshy vertorfte over the following millennia. It originated in shallow waters and fens. In the Middle Stone Age offered by this island-like elevations, small lakes and forests dominated landscape collectors, hunters and fishermen and the parched, sandy bogs the farmers and ranchers of the Neolithic favorable settlements. During this time, several earthworks were created.

Already in the 13th century, the Lewitz lowlands of oak, beech, alder and birch was covered. The growing cities of the Hanseatic League moved into their timber, among other things here. Neustadt- Glewe was one of the early 16th century to the 18th century to the centers of smelting of bog iron, which could be surface mined. In addition to the existing river system ensured the extensive forests of the Lewitz favorable conditions for this " holzgefräßigen " industry dar. charcoal was recovered from the wood, which in turn supplied the energy for the furnaces. Alone in 1577 in addition to 6300 tons of coal 8300 cubic meters of wood were needed. Additionally attended so-called Holzdeputanten for the princely house and Hofordnung, wood royalties to the surrounding towns and a flourishing timber trade for a shrinking of the tree population. In the 17th century this was still only 25% of its original value. 1620 were for the Kraaker palace already the last beech and oak trees like in Tuckhude. A non-sustainable forestry finally resulted in 1717 the last iron melt in Neustadt had to close due to shortage of wood. At this time, the forests of the surrounding countryside were almost completely deforested and subsequently emerged boggy meadows where hay was harvested. Open since the 18th century forestry office Friedrichsmoor made ​​over the years on small patches, for reforestation. A complete restoration of the original forest cover was not pursued because at the end of the 1820s it was expected that the revenue from the pastoral industry would surpass the forestry.

1862/63 was the Brenzer channel to the north-west to drain areas of Brenz and thereby make it usable for agriculture. In Tuckhude 1862, the seat of the administrative authority of the ducal court for Lewitz was built, which was responsible for the maintenance of ditches, roads, bridges, regulation of irrigation and drainage, monitoring of water levels and ensuring the hay harvest.

In 1938, were put under protection because of its importance as a breeding area for birds swamp parts of the Lewitz. Among other breed here the curlew, the redshank, black-tailed godwit and ruff. During the communist era was from 1958 to 1962 and from 1976 to 1980 with the introduction of industrial agricultural production, a large-scale, complex melioration to win grassland for cattle. Many animal and plant species and also the meadow breeding bird population disappeared.

At the height of the New Town High hamlet field next to the cattle and horse breeding was operated among others for riding in the VEG " Lewitz ". Since 1971, a new breed of horse, which is also known as Lewitz look as Lewitzer or by the pied color arose. The Good Lewitz is operated after the turn by the German show jumping and entrepreneur Paul Schockemoehle.

Since 1990, amelioration measures are partially reversed. From pasture and arable land, wetlands with wetlands and marshes were again. This displaced some plants and animals have settled again. It osprey, hawks, otters, newts and grass snakes have been spotted again. The Lewitz is a popular resting place for wild geese, cranes and other migratory birds. Among the rare plants in the Lewitz include orchids, anemone, Devil demolition and marsh gentian. The Lewitz is landscape and in parts of the nature reserve today. Parts of the landscape were reported late 20th century as European bird sanctuary.

Tourism

There are efforts to market the Lewitz in the context of sustainable tourism. Among other things, 24 In the direction boards with the inscription " The Lewitz " and contours of the New Town Castle and the landscape have been installed on the highway. Be addressed especially nature lovers and water walkers. Worth seeing are still hunting lodge Friedrichsmoor, a hunting seat of former dukes, the Wiesenmeisterei Tuckhude and Banzkower mill.

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