Flora in the Devin Peninsula nature reserve
The flora of the Devin Peninsula has a lot to offer knowledgeable visitors. Due to the diversity of the biotopes and the limited utilisation, a rich flora has developed on the peninsula with many species that are on the Red List of endangered plant species of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern or are protected by the Federal Species Protection Ordinance.
The dry and nutrient-poor grasslands, which are among the most species-rich biotopes, are home to numerous protected and endangered plants, including the beach carnation, corn saxifrage, sand immortelle, moonwort fern, meadow cowslip, golden thistle, crested campion, spring speedwell, vetch, stemless creeping thistle and common quaking grass. Careful grazing is important to preserve the dry and nutrient-poor grasslands. For this reason, there is a flock of sheep on the peninsula.
Floristic characteristics in the shore area and on the cliffs are, for example, beach centaury, European sea mustard, marsh yarrow, water celery, beach trident and Bodden rush. The birch bog in the northern part of the Devin peninsula is a rainwater-fed and therefore alternately moist kettle bog. Protected plant species found in the birch bog include the common hair cap moss, royal fern and crested fern. The narrow-leaved cottongrass, beaked sedge and common pennywort still found there are on the Red List. Reedbeds and peat moss communities, which form typical bog fescue grasslands, dominate.
The orchid meadow in the eastern part of the peninsula is home to the largest population of native orchids in the city of Stralsund. Seven species with several hundred specimens grow here. The four most common species are Stiff-leaved orchid, broad-leaved orchid, marsh sitter and broad-leaved sitter. To preserve the orchid population, it is necessary to keep the competing accompanying vegetation to a minimum. In addition to the protected orchids, there are also several endangered species such as the meadow daisy, water pennywort, cuckoo flower and blue-green sedge.
Further information, reports and photos on various species can be found here:
Specialities
The protected area is dominated by ruderal grasslands. The sand grass carnation, mountain jasmine, lesser hawkweed and common stonecrop are just a small selection of the species found here. The occurrence of the endangered German feltwort is remarkable. The growth of shrubs and trees can only be prevented or delayed by continuous, adapted grazing. Mechanical maintenance measures are also necessary to preserve the character of the area as a semi-open landscape. In the past, for example, the area has been repeatedly cleared of trees. A special feature of the area is the occurrence of orchids. Stiff-leaved orchid, broad-leaved orchid, marsh sitter and broad-leaved sitter form in part regionally significant populations.
The management of orchid populations is one of the focal points of the work of the Förderverein für Landschaft und Naturschutz Devin e.V. (Association for the Promotion of Landscape and Nature Conservation Devin).
The management of orchid populations is one of the focal points of the work of the Förderverein für Landschaft und Naturschutz Devin e.V. (Association for the Promotion of Landscape and Nature Conservation Devin).
