Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve
The Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe is an Biosphere Reserve in the German Federal state Saxony-Anhalt.
The Biosphere reserve fluvial topography Middle Elbe is located in the eastern Saxony-Anhalt. It extend along the Elbe river between Wittenberg in the east via Dessau and Roßlau till Gommern in the northwest. This beautiful fluvial topography created by nature and not touched by mankind is one of the main attractions of tourism in Saxony-Anhalt, e.g. bicycle tourism.
Already in 1979 it was accounted as Biosphere reserve "Steckby-Lödderitzer Forst" by the UNESCO, and in 1988 it was extended with wide areas around Dessau and Wörlitz. Based on this in 1990 arose the Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe. The area involves the Elbe river and Mulde and includes the Elbe floodplains as a unique biotope which is a shelter for many endangered species. 2005 Dr. Frank Dziock discovered a new insect species Brachyopa silviae. Of the genus Brachyopa only 13 species are known in Europe.
Since March 20, 2006 the official name is: Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe.
- area: 430 km²
- biodiversity