Consider this: over 533 hectares stretch before us. This is the Wiesen am Layenhof Ober-Olmer Wald. It spans Mainz and the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate.
This nature reserve includes parts of Finthen, Ingelheim am Rhein, Essenheim and Ober-Olm. It combines the Ober-Olmer Forest’s woodlands and clearings. It also protects the dry and semi-dry meadows near Mainz’s Layenhof. The Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Süd designated it as a Naturschutzgebiet in 2017. That is quite recent.
The Wiesen am Layenhof Ober-Olmer Wald protects endangered species. The green woodpecker, black kite, and Bechstein’s bat find undisturbed habitats here. The then Rhineland-Palatinate Environment Minister Höffken stated this during the reserve’s inauguration.
The area’s nutrient-poor meadows and orchards are ideal retreats. Native deciduous forests offer shelter for around 110 ground beetle species. About 280 butterfly species also thrive here. This contributes to the conservation of biodiversity in the Wiesen am Layenhof Ober-Olmer Wald.
The SGD Süd focuses on preserving and restoring specific habitats. These include nutrient-poor meadows and semi-dry grasslands. Also protected are heath grasslands, and rough grasslands plus orchards and pastures. They also want to preserve adjacent woodlands and hedgerows. These habitats are home to rare and endangered plants and animals. The Wiesen am Layenhof Ober-Olmer Wald aims to safeguard their communities.
The Ober-Olmer Forest is also a Natura-2000 area. Protecting and restoring native deciduous forest is a priority here. The goal is to maintain species-rich rough grasslands, and meadows. Also important are heathlands and small water bodies. This ensures a favorable conservation status for dry grasslands with orchids. It also protects heathlands, meadowlands and a woodruff-beech forest.
West of the Ober-Olmer Forest, reforestation efforts focus on native deciduous forest. These efforts support endangered wild plants. They also aid rare and endangered animals like the stag beetle and Bechstein’s bat.
Interestingly, the Mainz-Finthen airfield lies within the protected area. Its continued operation is guaranteed. However, protection rules don’t apply to areas currently used by the military. These rules will take effect once military use ends. Currently, the US armed forces use part of the area. It serves as the Mainz-Finthen training site.
The Ober-Olmer Forest boasts a 25 km network of paths. These paths allow access. However, there are specially protected zones for flora and fauna. Numerous small ponds provide a haven for amphibians. In spring, wood anemones carpet the forest floor. The mix of landscapes defines this unique protected area.
Black mullein is one of many plant species found here. Art stelae commemorate the area’s military past. It once housed a missile station. The Forest Nature Conservation Centre opened in 2021. It hosts regular exhibitions. The Finther airfield within the nature reserve has a fence. This fence protects birds. You might spot a whinchat. Old metal poles along the fence serve as perches for kestrels. Even the rare whinchat inhabits the airfield. Expansive, protected meadows are part of the Finther airfield too. Wiesen am Layenhof Ober-Olmer Wald is worth a visit.