Am Vogelacker
Compact 6.26-hectare nature reserve in a former gravel pit south of Cologne-Immendorf, packing many rare-species habitats into a small space.
since 1991
Just south of the Cologne district of Immendorf, the former gravel pit Am Vogelacker has been left to nature and now packs a remarkable variety of life into a small area. Protected since 1991, this compact reserve shows what a worked-out pit can become when quiet and careful management are allowed to do their work.
At a Glance
- Location
- South of Cologne-Immendorf, a former gravel pit
- Protection status
- Designated nature reserve since 1991
- Size
- 6.26 hectares
- Highlight
- Many habitat types meeting in a small space, from reed-fringed pools to bare gravel
- Ecological significance
- Home to several Red List amphibian and bird species; among the most valuable sites for its size in the network of gravel pits around Cologne
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Location & Landscape
The reserve sits on the southern edge of Immendorf, on the site of a gravel pit that is no longer worked. At its heart lie several small standing pools, edged with reeds and in places carrying stoneworts, and ringed by tall-herb stands, sandy-gravelly raw soils and small thickets. The western, northern and eastern slopes are grown over with scrub, while the north slope still keeps some open, south-facing patches. Along the southern edge, a planted mixed deciduous woodland closes off the site.
Habitats & Vegetation
What makes Am Vogelacker stand out is how many habitat types crowd together here: native mixed deciduous woodland, field copses, reed beds, sparsely vegetated gravel and grit surfaces, and pools that are either permanent or fill only from time to time. The plant life reflects this range, with characteristic species including broad-leaved helleborine, common centaury, floating pondweed, alder buckthorn, wayfaring tree and bulbous rush, alongside the ruderal plants typical of old gravel pits.
Conservation Significance
Regular management keeps the core of the reserve in good shape. The site owes its regional importance to several amphibian and bird species on the Red List that occur here. Thanks to these species and its undisturbed setting, Am Vogelacker ranks among the ecologically most valuable sites for its size within the network of gravel pits around Cologne.
Map
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Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-08-09
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