Dellbrücker Heide
A 39-hectare nature reserve on a former military site north of Cologne-Dellbrück, home to rare heathland species and open habitats.
since 2009
Just north of Cologne's Dellbrück district, close to the Diepeschrath recreation area and the Höhenfelder See, lies the Dellbrücker Heide — a compact nature reserve where rare heathland species thrive within the city limits. Once used by the military, this small patch of open landscape today ranks among the region's most species-rich habitats.
At a Glance
- Location
- North of Cologne-Dellbrück, near the Diepeschrath recreation area and the Höhenfelder See
- Designation
- Nature reserve (NSG code K-011), declared by the City of Cologne in 2009
- Size
- Roughly 39 hectares
- Setting
- Part of the Bergische Heideterrasse
- Highlight
- Open habitats such as heaths, sandy grasslands and silver-grass swards
- Notable species
- Blue-winged grasshopper, sand lizard, the grayling butterfly, natterjack toad and swallowtail
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Location & Landscape
The Dellbrücker Heide sits in the north of Cologne-Dellbrück, a short distance from the Diepeschrath recreation area and the Höhenfelder See. Despite its modest size and its position right within the urban area, the reserve holds a remarkable variety of species. It forms part of the Bergische Heideterrasse, which today counts among the most species-rich natural landscapes in North Rhine-Westphalia.
A Military Past
Until 1993 the site was used for military purposes. That use had an unexpected benefit for nature: it preserved open habitat types such as dwarf-shrub heaths and sandy dry grasslands, and shielded them from other uses like afforestation. In the winter of 2008/2009, the structures left behind by 55 years of military activity were demolished by the state road authority (Landesbetrieb Straßenbau NRW) as a compensation measure for the expansion of the Cologne motorway ring. In early 2011, after the reserve had been designated, the remaining military installations and paved paths were fully removed and the grounds restored for the purposes of nature conservation.
Biodiversity & Habitat Management
The reserve is home to nationally endangered species, including the blue-winged grasshopper, the sand lizard, the grayling butterfly and habitats such as silver-grass swards. Many of the species here depend on open ground — among them the natterjack toad, the swallowtail, heather, silver grass and the annual sheep's-bit. To keep these open habitats from closing over and the species from disappearing, natural influences are recreated through active management: grazing with goats and sheep, and the selective removal of trees and other woody growth.
Care & Stewardship
The City of Cologne owns half of the site. Together with the city, the German environmental association BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) manages the Dellbrücker Heide, combining nature conservation with the guidance of visitors and recreational use.
Map
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Address
Dellbrücker Steinweg 2-4
51069 Köln
Hours
So: 00:00–24:00
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official website (retrieved 2026-08-10)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-08-09, rev 265483125)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-08-09)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-08-09
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