How about a secret coastal world? I want to tell you about the Insel Koos, Kooser See und Wampener Riff. It is a protected area north of Greifswald. This isn’t just any nature reserve. It’s a place where land and sea dance together.
Imagine a landscape shaped by the ebb and flow of the Greifswalder Bodden. This is the Insel Koos. It began as glacial sediment. Over time, a sandy spit formed. This created the Kooser Bucht. The Beek connects this bay to the Kooser See.
In 1184, the Insel Koos was named Coztam. In Slavic, this means sandbank or broom shrub. Once, a Pomeranian fleet was destroyed near here. Danish and Rugian forces won. This naval battle influenced Pomerania’s rule for years.
Centuries ago, people changed the island. They cleared forests for grazing. In the 17th century, Dutch farmers settled here. By 1820, the Insel Koos was part of the Wampen estate. Before and during World War II, the island served as a bombing range for the nearby Ladebow airfield.
Since 1950, the Insel Koos has been connected to the animal disease research facility on Riems. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute uses it for research animals. In 1970, a dam was built. It linked the island to the mainland.
Today, the Insel Koos is a haven. It’s a European bird sanctuary and a FFH area. Access is restricted. This protects its unique environment. Farmers graze Uckermark cattle and Gotland sheep here seasonally.
The Karrendorf and Koos meadows are famous. Bird watchers love the seasonal birdlife. The meadows are part of the protected area so entering them is not allowed.
Tragedy struck in 2014. Wolves killed several sheep on Insel Koos. Investigations confirmed a wolf was responsible.
The Insel Koos’s landscape is diverse. Salt and wet meadows abound. There are also red fescue grasslands and reed beds. The Beek separates the island from the mainland.
The island’s name lives on. A naval tug once bore the name Koos. It served in the People’s Navy. Later, the German Navy took it over. In 1995, it was given to the Turkish Navy. Today, a customs boat in Stahlbrode also carries the island’s name.
The Naturschutzgebiet Insel Koos, Kooser See und Wampener Riff has an area of 1560 hectares. The purpose of protection is to preserve the Greifswalder Bodden. Shallow water zones and wind flats offer habitat for coastal birds. The Karrendorfer Wiesen have been renaturalized since 1990.
The Wampener Riff’s sandbars protect the Kooser See. In summer, the lake’s salinity can reach 30 ppm. That is much higher than the Bodden’s 8 ppm.
Extensive grazing has shaped the plant life. Salt grasslands dominate the landscape. The area is important for birds. Breeding birds include redshank and sandpipers. Migratory birds gather here in spring and fall. You can see geese and ducks here. Mammals like weasels and otters also inhabit the area.
The Insel Koos remains a testament. It shows nature’s resilience and the importance of preservation. Though access is limited, its story is open to all.