Am Grünen Kuhweg

The former gravel pit still shapes the scene today: long, steep banks covered in hardy ruderal vegetation surround a level floor. Along the dam, on raised mounds and at the western edge run strips of deciduous woodland, in places with some of the rarer native broadleaf species. The Mutzbach stream runs along the northern edge, straightened and deeply incised along its entire length; its north-eastern bank is affected by an adjoining arable field.

A large expanse of water stretches across the northern part of the site, ringed by gravelly, stony banks that are largely bare of vegetation; a sand and gravel bar was created in the south-east. Just to the north-east, a shallow pool has formed that dries out from time to time, and in the recently levelled southern half of the pit further shallow waters have appeared. These wetlands are valuable habitats for wildfowl. Even a former asphalted storage yard on contaminated ground south of the Grüner Kuhweg has been transformed: after the subsided surface was filled in with stones and gravel, gravelly pools and a water channel emerged, where — helped along by planting — natural vegetation took hold.

The variety of habitats is mirrored in the flora and fauna. Among sea buckthorn and silver birch grow species such as sheep's-bit, felwort, wild strawberry and common bulrush, and in damp spots the likes of jointed rush and water pepper. The waters and open ground draw in a wealth of animals: grey heron, mute swan, little grebe, lapwing and, on occasion, osprey make use of the site, while on land and in the water live the natterjack toad, sand lizard, blue-winged grasshopper and the southern hawker dragonfly, among others.

To keep the open areas from becoming overgrown, NABU Cologne looks after the northern edge of the reserve. The dry sandy grassland is mown each year and bramble scrub is cut back. An adjoining former car park is also deliberately kept open: small pools have formed in its undulating, sealed ground, serving amphibians as spawning grounds — trees and shrubs are removed here year after year so that the creatures of the open landscape keep their habitat.