Bäken Der Endeler Und Holzhauser Heide

With the declaration of a nature reserve in 1988, a rare landscape with a special character was placed under protection. The streams of the Endeler and Holzhauser Heide are a nature reserve that encompasses three districts. The district of Oldenburg is primarily affected by the section of the Aue stream as a near-natural watercourse. The headwaters of the Aue lie in the district of Vechta, from where it flows northwards and touches the district of Cloppenburg in the west. In the three-district corner, the floodplain bends to the east and forms the border between the districts of Vechta and Oldenburg. In 2012, the dipper, previously thought to be extinct in the region, was spotted again along the floodplain. The dipper catches its prey in the water and depends on it being reasonably clear. Parts of the waters are also of supra-regional importance as potential spawning and larval habitats for salmon. The area also serves the otter as an important connecting axis between the habitats at the Alhorn fish ponds and the Hunte.

According to the Federal Nature Conservation Act, a nature reserve is a legally designated area in which special protection of nature and landscape is required for the conservation or restoration of ecosystems, for scientific reasons or because of their rarity, uniqueness or beauty. Actions that could lead to changes or even damage to the nature reserve are prohibited.