Unique river landscape
Flora and Fauna in the Elbe Region
The Elbe River landscape is one of the largest near-natural river landscapes in Central Europe. It stretches for approximately 130 km within our region between Hitzacker and Hamburg. It is one of the most biodiverse areas in Germany and offers migratory birds such as geese, cranes, and sea eagles, as well as plants and fish, a unique, pristine habitat. The Elbe River, which gives the region its name, is one of the last largely unspoiled rivers in Germany. As a result, floodplains, wet meadows, oxbow lakes, dunes, and flood channels have been preserved as large, contiguous ecosystems.
The region is characterized by its many historic town centers, half-timbered villages, historic harbors, and the dyke landscape. For centuries, people and the river have worked together to shape an area that today offers ideal conditions for recreation and nature-based tourism. Along the popular Elbe Cycle Route, visitors can explore the diverse surroundings at their own pace while enjoying impressive views of the river time and again. This vibrant region, particularly within the “Elbe River Landscape” Biosphere Reserve, is an ideal place for nature observation. From migrating cranes and rare birds of prey to tranquil floodplain areas, the region is home to numerous plant and animal species.
Biodiverse Habitats
The Lower Saxony Elbe River Valley
The Lower Saxony Elbe River Valley is located in the western part of the vast river landscape along the Elbe. It spans the districts of Lüchow-Dannenberg and Lüneburg and is part of the UNESCO “Elbe River Landscape” Biosphere Reserve. Rare species such as the white-tailed eagle, black stork, crane, and beaver find ideal living conditions here. Vast floodplain forests, wet meadows, and oxbow lake structures provide habitats that are rarely found in Germany anymore. The Elbe River Valley is an important stopover on the East Atlantic flyway.
The Elbe floodplain is a largely natural river landscape, as the Elbe is hardly embanked here. Historic villages, old dikes, and ferry crossings all contribute to the cultural landscape. The nutrient-rich soils support grassland farming and organic agriculture.
Life and Landscape in the Elbe Marshes
The Elbmarsch is one of the most fertile regions in northern Germany. In the Lower Saxony portion, it encompasses the municipalities of Elbmarsch, Marschacht, Tespe, and Drage. Along the Elbe stretch vast meadows, old dike villages, and heavy marsh soils that have been used for farming and livestock breeding for centuries. Dutch and Frisian settlers reclaimed the formerly waterlogged lowlands, built dikes, and thus shaped the region’s characteristic landscape: historic farms, drainage ditches, and green pastures that stretch all the way to the Elbe dike. Today, the Elbe Marshes combine rich nature with living history—a quiet yet impressive part of Lower Saxony’s cultural landscape.
Fertile Landscapes
The Elbe River Landscape region is home to three nature reserves.
Visitors to the 400-hectare “Untere Seeveniederung” nature reserve between Winsen (Luhe) and Hamburg can expect to see the vast, open meadow landscape of the Elbmarsch. The vast wet meadows of the Junkernfeld in particular offer the now rare sight of an old, grassland-dominated marsh landscape. Between mid-April and mid-May, thousands of black-eyed Susans bloom in the Junkernfeld, especially in the northern section. But even when the plants with their delicate flowers are not currently in bloom, the species-rich wet meadows—with cuckoo flower and cuckoo-pink, the pink-flowering snake knotweed, sharp buttercup, and marsh marigolds in spring and early summer. Information boards provide details about the unique features of nature in the lake lowlands, which can be easily observed from the loop trail.
Since December 1, 2014, the Ilmenau-Luhe Lowlands have been a new nature reserve in the Harburg district. Just outside the town of Winsen (Luhe) lies a special natural treasure. Spanning approximately 434 hectares, the Ilmenau and Luhe lowlands offer a fascinating landscape where water meets land. Here, the Luhe flows into the Ilmenau, which then empties into the Elbe after about 3 km. The area is crisscrossed by numerous ditches and channels and is distinctly characterized by grasslands and reeds. It is one of the last major contiguous areas in the tidal section of the Elbe where the ebb and flow of the tides can take effect almost unimpeded.
The “Stixer Wanderdüne” in the southern part of the Neuhaus district offers a truly unique natural phenomenon. When the Ice Age came to an end some 10,000 years ago, a constant westerly wind blew, driving fine drifting sand across vast distances. Hills up to 30 meters high formed, which continued to migrate as dunes over time. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that afforestation succeeded in halting the shifting dunes. The “Stixer Wanderdüne” is still on the move today. For example, tall pine trees are buried in the sand up to their treetops, only to be blown free again by the wind over time. Information boards along many hiking trails provide detailed information about this natural spectacle. Because the weather conditions are so unique, distinctive animal and plant species have settled here. This is another reason why the vast area is a protected nature reserve.
"Lower Saxony's Elbe River Valley"
The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
The UNESCO Lower Saxony Elbe Valley Biosphere Reserve encompasses one of the last largely natural stretches of the Middle Elbe River. The region is characterized by species-rich floodplain forests, extensive meadows, and dynamic floodplains that provide habitat for numerous endangered animal and plant species. At the same time, the reserve combines nature conservation, sustainable agriculture, and eco-tourism—a model area where people and nature live in harmony.
These links will take you to the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and to the Lower Saxony Elbe Valley Biosphere Reserve.
Germany's first Ark region
The “Elbe River Landscape” Ark Region—Germany’s first Ark Region, centered around Amt Neuhaus—stretches along a roughly 50-kilometer stretch of the Elbe River. In 2011, the Society for the Preservation of Old and Endangered Domestic Animal Breeds (GEH) recognized Amt Neuhaus as Germany’s first Ark Region. Through targeted breeding and responsible management, robust, traditional farm animals that have been part of the regional cultural landscape for centuries are preserved. Old cultivated and useful plants are also included. Rare, traditional varieties are grown, processed, and further developed. In this way, valuable plant species remain alive—species that are not only part of the regional identity but are also important for biodiversity and sustainable agriculture.
