Flora and fauna of the Soonwald Forest

The Soonwald forest is part of the Hunsrück and is one of the largest forests in Germany. Its altitude (400-600m, the highest point the Ellerspring with 657m) makes it an ideal recreation area for people looking for quiet. It is very accessible due to its more than 800km of hiking paths. One can hike here for hours without ever meeting another human being. The traces of two thousand years of human history are to be found everywhere, though. It is rough and wild without a doubt, but tender as a sunbeam upon spring green and tame as a stream bubbling over the rocks.

Flora

Mountain meadows are to be found everywhere, especially meadows of oat grass, yellow oat grass, and borstgras. These natural pastures have become sanctuaries for rare types of plants such as Arnika, Kreuzblume, Waldhyazinthe, Mondraute, Storchenschnabel und Frauenmantel. In many places there are wetlands where numerous orchid types have been preserved. Fieberklee, Sumpf-Blutauge und Wald-Läusekraut are also at home here. In some of the swampy areas and marshlands the Rundblättrige Sonnentau, the Sumpf- Bärlapp and the especially rare Königsfarm, thrive.

Fauna

The extensive forests are exceptional protection for game. Roe deer, fallow deer, wild boar, rabbits and foxes as well as wild sheep and wildcats are at home here. A bird very typical to the forest here is the black woodpecker. Tawny owls and Horned owls are common, barn owls and little owlets, less so. On the steep slopes of the streams, the kingfisher can be observed.

Hiking guides: Wolfgang Bartels, Hunsrück; DuMont Buchverlag, 1996 und Norbert Forsch, Hunsrück; Deutscher Wanderverlag, 2000