Land of the Crane, Ice Age Landscape and Pioneer of Organic Agriculture

The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin northeast of Berlin is an impressive cultural landscape. It is characterised by the Ice Age, comprises around 240 lakes, thousands of peat bogs, and extensive meadows and fields. Almost half of the area is forested.

The UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site Grumsin, part of the international World Heritage Site Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, has been strictly protected for years as the core area of the biosphere reserve. 70 km² of Baltic beech forests are a unique feature that includes the world's largest contiguous occurrence of this type of forest. A large network of circular hiking trails makes Schorfheide-Chorin a magnet for hikers. To the south, the restored ruins of the Chorin monastery are a particularly interesting sight, attracting hundreds of thousands of music lovers every year to the Chorin Music Summer.

The melting of the glaciers after the last Ice Age and centuries of cultivation created a richly structured landscape in Schorfheide. Today the country is sparsely populated and thus offers a habitat for numerous animal and plant species. Of the more than 1,300 flowering plant and fern species recorded, one third is endangered - the biosphere reserve has supra-regional responsibility for 30 species. Several endangered animal species are also at home here, for example otters and Elbe beavers, each with at least 100 territories.

Contributions to sustainable development

The biosphere reserve promotes the conservation of endangered crops such as old cereals, potatoes and fruit, for example through partnering with sustainable farmers. Organic farming is practised on almost one third of the agricultural land, one of the highest shares in all of Germany.

The certification logo of the biosphere reserve Schorfheide-Chorin, a regional brand with quality criteria, has served to strengthen cooperation among local companies since 1998. Among the approximately 80 users of the logo are farmers, food processors, restaurateurs, hoteliers, traders and construction companies who are committed to preserving the local building heritage. The ecovillage Brodowin is a well-known model enterprise.

In addition, the biosphere reserve supports the settlement development of the villages for the preservation of historical buildings and commercial and industrial sites. The aim is to develop sustainable bioenergy villages whose electricity and heat supply is to be ensured through sustainable, regenerative energy generation. A zero-emission mobility network is being created, including the solar research vessel "Solar Explorer" on the Werbellinsee.

International cooperation

The biosphere reserve is frequently visited by international guests who inform themselves about the work of the biosphere reserve.