Protecting Diversity
From the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the Alps, German national parks protect beautiful landscapes and give habitats to rare plants and animals. Today (2016) there are 16 national parks with a total area of over 10,000 km2. Not counting the marine share, national parks occupy an area of around 2,000 km2 or 0.57 percent of the federal territory.
The guiding principle "Natur Natur sein lassen" (Leaving nature to its own devices) goes back to the objective of the first German national park, Bavarian Forest National Park (1970, 240 km2). Germany's largest national park ist Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park (4,410 km2 – most of which being water, naturally). The smallest national park is Jasmund on the island of Rugen (30 km2).
Atemberaubendes Bergpanorama beim Königssee im Nationalpark Berchtesgaden, © Nationalpark Berchtesgaden
Ausgedehnte Nadelwälder im Nationalpark Schwarzwald, © Charly Ebel
Wunderschöne Kombination: Buchenwald, Kreidefelsen und Ostsee im Nationalpark Jasmund, © J. Reich
Vorpommersche Ausgleichsküste und Flachwasserzone der Ostsee im Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, © L. Strom
Wald und Wasser – Nationalpark Eifel eingebettet in eine Stauseenlandschaft, © R. Faymonville
Frühjahrsflutung in der Oderaue im Nationalpark Unteres Odertal, © H.-J. Wilke
Bergwald am Hohnekamm im Nationalpark Harz, © Jens Bachmann
Vergänglichkeit und das neue Werden im Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald, © Rainer Simonis
Basteibrücke eingerahmt von den Felsentürmen des Nationalparks Sächsische Schweiz, © K. Jäpelt
Ziehende Gänse über dem Jadebusen im Nationalpark Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer, © Imke Zwoch
Totholz im Naturwald im Nationalpark Hunsrück-Hochwald, © Konrad Funk
Nationalpark Hamburgisches Wattenmeer bei Cuxhaven, © Karsten Andrae
Dichtes Kronendach der Rotbuchen im Nationalpark Hainich, © Lisa Mäder
Felshänge im Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee, © Nationalpark Kellerwald
Ein Küstenbereich von St. Peter-Ording im Nationalpark Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer,
© Martin Stock/LKN.SH.
Seenlandschaft im Müritz-Nationalpark, © Müritz-Nationalpark
Protected Areas in Germany
"Nationale Naturlandschaften" is the umbrella brand of the national parks, nature parks and UNESCO biosphere reserves in Germany. The shared aim is to protect and preserve Germany's most beautiful natural and cultural landscapes and make them a true experience for visitors.
EUROPARC Deutschland is a joint venture of the German national parks, nature parks and UNESCO biosphere reserves that was founded in order to protect nature and the environment on a national level. The association created the umbrella brand "Nationale Naturlandschaften" in 2005 with the aim of raising the degree of familiarity of the German ecosystem preserves on a national and international level, of having one voice when addressing economic and political leaders and of creating a consistent quality and comparable offers of environmental education for visitors. A consistent corporate design increases the awareness of the brand Nationale Naturlandschaften in the public. Joint projects are, for example, the Junior Ranger Programme and the voluntary programme "Ehrensache Natur – Freiwillige in Parks". A total of eight task groups meet regularly to exchange experiences and mutual support in fields such as communications, information centres, research and monitoring.