The Types of Habitat of the Lower Oder Valley National Park

Trockenrasen an den Geesower HügelnIm Trockenpolder bei StolzenhagenHartholzaue am WelseseeAltwasser bei StolpeWinterlicher Polder bei Stützkow
The Lower Oder Valley is one of Central Europe's last semi-natural riparian floodplains. Largely undeveloped, it possesses a wild, dynamic, and harsh beauty. On a relatively limited stretch, 60 km in length and 30km wide on average, it features an amplitude of different types of habitat. On the one hand there are the aquatic habitats. The main Oder stream on the eastern edge of the valley, and the Hohensaaten-Friedrichstal-Canal on the western edge of the valley, are to be distinguished. Located between the two are the many interconnected backwaters of the actual floodplains. Several crystal clear creeks spring from the slopes of the Oder River Valley. In addition there are larger streams such as the Welse and Salvey Creek on the western side, and the Rurzyca (Röhrike) on the eastern side. What is distinctive on the actual flood plains are the expansive beds of common reeds and sedges, as well as partially remaining hard-wood and soft-wood riparian forests. On the Oder Valley's slopes (which were the lateral moraines of the glacial valley as it was formed in the post-glacial period of the last ice-age) there are spacious, old-growth deciduous forests, while above the slopes there are flowery xeric grasslands.
Polder im NebelFarn im Gelmersdorfer Wald