- The Global Nature Fund and the Living Lakes Network Germany nominate Lake Geiseltal in Saxony-Anhalt as “Living Lake of the Year 2023”.
- The lake was created as part of recultivation measures in a former lignite mining area and has developed into a habitat for exceptional flora and fauna within 30 years.
- The protection of the young ecosystem requires close cooperation between all stakeholders at the lake and in the region in order to rule out threats from the outset.
Radolfzell, 22.03.2023: The Global Nature Fund (GNF) and the Network Living Lakes Germany (NLSD) nominate Lake Geiseltal in Saxony-Anhalt as “Living Lake of the Year 2023”. The award is presented on the occasion of World Water Day today, March 22, and is in recognition of the outstanding achievements in restoring nature and creating a species-rich environment on and in the lake: within just 30 years, it has developed from a hostile pit in the middle of a barren mining landscape into a natural gem with a unique flora and fauna. The campaign is supported by various local stakeholders who share a common goal: NABU, the towns of Mücheln and Braunsbedra, the representatives of diving and the Saale district want to preserve the lake together for the future.
The unusual history of an ecosystem
The Geiseltalsee is located in the south of Saxony-Anhalt, has an area of 1,840 hectares, is up to 76 meters deep and has a water volume of 423 million cubic meters. What makes it special: The lake was created as part of recultivation measures in the former Geiseltal lignite mining area north-east of Mücheln and is now the largest artificial lake in Germany. Together with other lakes, it forms the Geiseltal lake complex. Flooding of the residual open-cast mine hole began in 2003 and was completed in 2011.
In the three decades since the end of open-cast mining, the oligotrophic, i.e. nutrient-poor, ecosystem of the lake has developed an extraordinary plant and animal world that is adapted to the special conditions: it is home to 11 different brachiopod algae, whose populations reach a depth of 13 meters due to the clarity of the water. Various aquatic insects and fish species can be observed, as well as 240 bird species, including 108 breeding bird species and numerous migratory and winter visitors. Tundra shelduck, red-crested pochard, bee-eater and common tern are just some of the birds worthy of protection that have found a new habitat here. The alternation between dump forests, loess escarpments, shrubs, grasslands and fallow land, raw soils and reedbeds creates unique conditions for plants and birds in the newly created post-mining landscape.
Challenges of a young habitat
The Geiseltalsee is a natural paradise and a popular leisure destination for visitors from the region and beyond. To ensure that things stay that way, potential hazards should be identified, addressed and treated in good time. As with many German lakes, tourism is on the increase here too; the lake offers space and room for recreational fishing and water sports, and modern harbors and jetties have been built in recent years.
The lake’s protected areas are not spared: boating, fishing and disturbance of the lake’s internationally important resting and breeding areas occur time and again. The lake is of very good ecological quality, but is being increasingly exploited without appropriate countermeasures being taken to protect nature and species – this is now set to change. Sustainable protection requires, among other things, a holistic concept for the maintenance and sustainable use of habitats as well as monitoring compliance with nature conservation regulations. The NLSD jury has decided to nominate Lake Geiseltal as “Living Lake of the Year 2023” as a good basis for an active dialog between all stakeholders at the lake. In order to preserve the young ecosystem and the oligotrophic quality of the lake, efficient cooperation is needed between local stakeholders from nature conservation, angling, boat rentals, tourism associations and the local population.
Joint efforts for the Living Lake
Many positive developments in the Geiseltal can be attributed to the activities of the NABU Regionalverband Merseburg-Querfurt e.V.. “Together with our partners, we would like to implement a nature conservation project in the post-mining landscape of the Geiseltal in the coming years that promotes education and public relations work, the undisturbed experience of nature and species and biotope protection measures in the area,” says Martin Schulze from the NABU regional association. The association is also committed to implementing the EU Birds Directive on the lake and, together with its members, regularly maintains cliffs as breeding grounds for bee-eaters and sand martins as well as the breeding islands in the lake.
The Geiseltal Diving Center, in cooperation with the German Scuba Diving Association and the NABU project “Diving for Nature Conservation”, has already trained 25 experts in nature conservation diving, who carry out annual monitoring of aquatic plants. In this way, scientists can also document the further development of the lake and make well-founded recommendations for specific conservation measures: e.g. restricting leisure activities in the area of reed beds and other zones particularly worthy of protection in order to preserve the habitat for birds and other animals, or clearing bushes on steep walls with further sustainable use in the interests of nature. In this way, the lake can be experienced by all users and remains beautiful in the long term.
“The Geiseltalsee is a special example of a largely successful restoration of habitats after intensive use by humans. The task now is to ensure the sustainable development of this young natural paradise. The work of initiatives, associations and local authorities must help to further develop the lake into a lively and species-rich habitat that is of great importance to both people and nature”emphasizes Dr. Thomas Schaefer, Head of Nature Conservation & Living Lakes at GNF. “By choosing the ‘Living Lake of the Year’, we want to help raise awareness of the importance of lakes and wetlands as habitats for numerous animal and plant species and promote the protection of these valuable ecosystems. The title is also a reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect nature and its biodiversity.”
Background
The Global Nature Fund (GNF) and the Network Living Lakes Germany (NLSD) annually nominate the “Living Lake of the Year” on UN World Water Day, March 22. The award draws attention to lakes and wetlands as valuable ecosystems and unique natural treasures and highlights achievements in their protection. Combined with activities throughout the year, the campaign contributes to solving problems in lakes and wetlands. The Geiseltalsee is the first artificial lake to receive the award and a model of how the successful restoration of habitats can ensure the protection of nature and its biodiversity. More about the 2023 campaign at www.globalnature.org/de/living-lakes/lebendiger-see-2023
Living Lakes Network Germany
The Living Lakes Network Germany was founded in 2009 by the Global Nature Fund and is linked to the worldwide Living Lakes Network, a global platform for cooperation on the permanent and sustainable development of lakes with over 130 organizations. The Living Lakes Network Germany was recognized as an official project of the UN Decade on Biodiversity in 2016. More information at www.globalnature.org/Netzwerk-Deutschland
Contact us
Global Nature Fund (GNF)
Fritz-Reichle-Ring 4
78315 Radolfzell
Phone: +49 (0)7732 9995-80
info@globalnature.org
www.globalnature.org
Partner contact information
NABU Saxony-Anhalt
Gerhart-Hauptmann-Straße 14
39108 Magdeburg
Phone: +49 (0)391 5619350
Mail@NABU-LSA.de
www.sachsen-anhalt.nabu.de
NABU Regional Association Merseburg-Querfurt e.V.
Ackerweg 28
06130 Halle (Saale)
Phone: +49 (0)1522 4292513
kontakt@nabu-merseburg-querfurt.de
Diving center Geiseltal
Strandallee 1
06249 Mücheln OT Stöbnitz
Peninsula / Camping site
www.adventure-dive-light.de
www.tauchzentrum-geiseltal.de
Saxony-Anhalt State Diving Association
Department of Environment and Nature Conservation
www.ltsv-sa.de
umwelt@ltsv-sa.de
NABU Federal Expert Committee on Living Lakes
Fürstenberger Str. 6
16775 Stechlin
info@nabu-naturschutztauchen.de
www.nabu-naturschutztauchen.de