Danube Riparian Forest between Neuburg and Ingolstadt

The Danube Riparian Forest Neuburg-Ingolstadt comprises the FFH area “Danube Floodplains with Gerolfinger Eichenwald” and parts of the SPA area “Danube Floodplain between the mouth of the Lech and Ingolstadt”. The entire region has preserved its special character as a dense riparian forest because of the protection by the former Dukes of Bavaria as a hunting area, where nature meets history.

Though the area is managed by forestry many parts of it are more or less typical hardwood and softwood riparian ecosystems. Despite of straightening measurements and embankments as well as hydro power stations along the Danube morphological features like old oxbow lakes are still visible and accompanied by reed and other typical vegetation. Furthermore there are many patches of dry grassland on former gravel banks which accommodate endangered species like orchids.

Nowadays a large restoration project tries to overcome the sins of the past with ecological floodings and a 8 km long bypass river. Overall goal of this exciting field experiment is to bring new dynamics to the floodplain, and to reactivate the former vegetation structure.