A flora marked by landscape diversity
The flora of North Rhine-Westphalia is strongly influenced by the variety of its natural environments: forests, plains, moors, rivers and peat bogs. Forests cover a large part of the region, particularly in the Eifel, Sauerland and the famous Teutoburg Forest. They are dominated by deciduous trees such as common beech(Fagus sylvatica) and pedunculate oak(Quercus robur), sometimes accompanied by conifers such as spruce or Scots pine. In more nutrient-poor areas, such as the moors and peat bogs of the Hohes Venn Eifel Nature Park, specific plants such as call heather(Calluna vulgaris), cottongrass and sphagnum moss are found. These rare environments are essential to the survival of certain endangered plant species, and walkers should be as curious as they are cautious in preserving these plants.
A rich and varied fauna thanks to protected areas
North Rhine-Westphalia is more than just urban and industrial areas.
Large mammals find refuge in the region's vast, unspoilt woodlands. Deer, roe deer and wild boar are common here, as are small predators such as red foxes, badgers and martens. The European beaver, which has been extinct in the region since the 19th century, was successfully reintroduced along the rivers from the Erft valley in 1981. The region is also a haven for birds. The alluvial plains of the Lower Rhine and the lakes of the Eifel National Park are home to a wide variety of migratory and breeding birds: white storks, grey herons, kingfishers, falcons, kites and buzzards. Bats also find refuge in caves, ruins and ancient forests. Notable places to observe them include the old mine galleries at Mechernich in the Eifel, about an hour's drive from Cologne.
Wetlands are home to many amphibians, including toads, newts and green frogs. A few reptiles, such as the fragile orvet and the wall lizard, can be found in warm, dry environments.
Nature reserves to preserve biodiversity
In the face of urbanization and climatic challenges, North Rhine-Westphalia has developed an extensive network of protected areas. The Eifel National Park, the region's only national park, protects over 10,000 ha of wild forests. Other areas, such as the Lower Rhine reserves and the renaturation of industrial wastelands in the Ruhr region, actively contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. Rich in natural contrasts, North Rhine-Westphalia demonstrates that a densely populated area can also be a haven for flora and fauna. Thanks to an active protection policy and the rehabilitation of former industrial areas, the region offers a fine example of the balance between human development and nature conservation.
