Wild forest by the sea
Germany's smallest national park is often reduced to its triad of chalk, forest and sea. However, the Jasmund National Park has an exceptionally broad spectrum of habitats due to the complex effects of climate, relief and soilwhich, in their interplay, form the basis for a rich flora and fauna.
Gleaming white cliffs, steep slopes and boulder beaches - the chalk coast and therefore the steep banks of the Jasmund National Park are a special habitat, as they are constantly changing.
Water, wind and weather - the forces of nature constantly influence the chalk cliffs with their steep banks and boulder beaches in the Jasmund National Park, which originated almost 70 million years ago in the Cretaceous period. Sediments of dead animals, plants and cells were gradually deposited in the chalk sea, which calcified and built up into layers due to changing temperatures. During the last ice age, enormous pressure was exerted on these layers and the ice masses moulded them into the rocks we admire today. Like a time capsule, the rocks have captured the traces of the earth's history and are also the ideal habitat for sand martins and peregrine falcons, for example.
With an annual retreat of around 30 cm, the appearance of the active chalk coast never remains the same and is constantly changing. However, the magic of the white cliffs is not affected by this. No matter what time of year - this habitat impresses with 100 metre high cliffs, flint bands and fossils. After fresh erosion, the cliff with its chalk also influences the neighbouring Baltic Sea. The light-coloured chalk milk, broken off chalk that dissolves in the Baltic Sea, is an impressive natural spectacle that can be observed particularly in winter and spring.
What is special about Jasmund's chalk coast? Due to the different altitude metres, the cliff-side forest has spread right down to the beach over the course of history and has only been touched by nature.
The active chalk cliff is not only exciting to observe, but can also pose serious dangers for visitors. Erosion regularly causes chunks of chalk to break away from the cliff face and landslides occur - but it is difficult to predict exactly when. We therefore recommend that you only visit the boulder beach and the steep bank in certain places and always prefer to hike completely above it on the high bank path for your own safety.
Even if it is called chalk cliffs, the material is very soft, especially in the slope area - so please only use the designated descents in the national park. Climbing means leaving the paths and is prohibited in the national park.
The Jasmund National Park is characterised by a wonderful ancient forest. The old beech forests in Jasmund, 493 hectares of which have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Ancient Beech Forests and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe" since 2011, have had the good fortune in the history of the area to be safe from major forestry utilisation thanks to their hillside forest. Economic utilisation was too costly here, so these sections remained pristine.
However, other areas in the national park were shaped and utilised by humans, so that foreign species such as conifers also found their way into the area. Since the national park was proclaimed in 1990, the forest has undergone a process of returning to its original state. Alien species were gradually removed and now the forest can shape itself in its very own transformation. In spring, the forest floor is full of early bloomers, which, due to the different soils (chalk, marl, clay or sandy soil), belong to very different species, including the limestone-loving orchid species such as the white and red forest bird's-foot trefoil. After the brief flowering splendour, the summer canopy of the beech forest closes as the leaves begin to emerge. It becomes dark and cool despite the summer temperatures. It is therefore also a characteristic of the forest to have no shrub layer. Autumn brings the colourful foliage and many tasty beechnuts for the numerous inhabitants of the forest.
As the motto in a national park is "let nature be nature", the forest is allowed to change as it pleases. Dying trees fall down and remain as dead wood and thus a habitat for many insects and snakes such as lizards. Only when official hiking trails are affected do the rangers move them aside a little, but do not remove them.
A small part of the Baltic Sea, to be precise the shallow water areas up to 500 metres from the coastline, also belong to the Jasmund National Park. Not without reason is it called the Wild Forest by the Sea.
These seabeds are home to submarine chalk ridges, algae-covered boulder fields, mussel beds, sandbanks and mudflats. As the Jasmund peninsula is very exposed to storms, these various habitats are regularly washed free and surrounded by surf waves and ice thrusts and, like the chalk coast, are constantly changing.
The special thing about the Baltic Sea is that it is brackish water. It is a mixture of fresh and salt water, which makes it possible for various marine and freshwater creatures to live in unusually close proximity to each other. The grey seal is one of the largest aquatic creatures that can be observed in the national park if you are lucky.
Popular as a bathing and fishing area, the Baltic Sea attracts several million visitors every year - but these topics do not belong in the national park. It is not permitted to fish or swim in this sensitive area within the protected area.
Even inconspicuous areas such as springs, streams and lakes, the moors or dry calcareous grasslands enrich the rich spectrum of the national park.
Biodiversity requires more than just a habitat. It is therefore a key conservation goal of the national park to protect a near-natural water balance. The springs and streams transport the water through the area and shape the landscape at the same time.
There are only a few lakes and ponds in the national park itself. Nevertheless, the Hertha Lake, for example, is well-known everywhere. It was a popular excursion destination even before the protected area was established, is steeped in legend and was even mentioned in Fontane's Effi Briest.
Unfortunately, most of the larger bodies of water have already silted up, meaning that the moors in the national park in particular have an important storage function for the water balance. Over 100 smaller and larger moors are spread throughout the area, including mainly spring, flow-through, kettle and marshy moors. Similar to parts of the forest, many moorland areas have been utilised and attempts have been made to drain them by human hands. For this reason, a moor revitalisation programme is currently underway in the Jasmund National Park. This is because only functioning moors can serve as a healthy habitat for many species such as marsh irises, cotton grass, sundew and fire-bellied toads.
The dry calcareous grassland is also a special habitat. Abandoned areas on the chalk cliff, but also within the area, such as in the west of the national park, are colonised by special grasses and herbs.
The national park protects particularly rare and valuable habitats with their flora and fauna. Visitors who observe a few simple rules can help to protect them and ensure that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren can also experience this unique natural environment. For example, even short-term or one-off disturbances have a serious impact on bird breeding grounds. Many species need absolute freedom from disturbance. That is why the realm of animals and plants begins off the beaten track.
More information on the rules in the Jasmund National Park can be found on the website of the national park administration at www.nationalpark-jasmund.de
The active chalk cliff is not only exciting to observe, but can also pose serious dangers for visitors. Erosion regularly causes chunks of chalk to break away from the cliff face and landslides occur - but it is difficult to predict exactly when. We therefore recommend that you only visit the boulder beach and the steep bank in certain places and always prefer to hike completely above it on the high bank path for your own safety.
Even if it is called chalk cliffs, the material is very soft, especially in the slope area - so please only use the designated descents in the national park. Climbing means leaving the paths and is prohibited in the national park.
The motto in a national park is: Take nothing with you and leave nothing behind. Everyone is therefore required to take their rubbish home with them. This is why there are only a few rubbish bins in the protected area. If there were more rubbish bins along the hiking trails, there is a risk that animals would see them as a source of food and could become ill as a result. Wind could spread the rubbish and the more rubbish bins there are, the more likely it is that people will dispose of their private rubbish in the middle of the forest. For this reason, rubbish bins are not placed anywhere in the area. There are only rubbish bins at the entrances to the national park and at our two buildings (National Park Centre and UNESCO World Heritage Forum), as these are regularly checked and emptied.
Just as nothing is left behind, nothing is taken from nature, be it mushrooms, plants or fossils, so as not to disturb the habitats.
Your four-legged friend is very welcome to explore the national park with you. Please note that dogs must be kept on a lead in the protected area all year round.
If you use a bag for your dog's waste, please dispose of it in the rubbish bins at the national park entrance, at the KÖNIGSSTUHL National Park Centre or at the UNESCO World Heritage Forum. Please do not dispose of the bags in the forest!
Please keep your distance from wild animals and avoid making noise. This will allow you and the animals to experience the encounter safely and increase your chances of taking a nice souvenir photo.
Please also note that there is a general ban on flying drones in the national park, as in all nature reserves.
Even if the multitude of rules seems overwhelming at first, you can actively discover the Jasmund National Park. Nothing stands in the way of a hike, with or without a dog, a bike ride or a horseback ride if you follow the rules. With a lot of peace and patience, animals and plants can be observed in the different seasons and nature can unfold its calming effect on every visitor.
You can find more information on active holidays in the Jasmund National Park on the website of the national park administration at www.nationalpark-jasmund.de
You are welcome to use our hiking and cycling map of the Jasmund Peninsula. This will give you a good overview of the possible routes for your exploration tour in the Jasmund National Park. You can also find more information in advance on the map of the national park administration at www.nationalpark-jasmund.de.
Please note that radio reception in the area is limited and online maps are therefore not always available. Map services and hiking apps can also contain errors and show paths that are not on the map. Therefore, always pay attention to the hiking trail symbols and signposts in the area.