Mündungsgebiet der Ahr

Ahr Estuary: The Rhine's only natural tributary mouth. Protected for its dynamic water, sand, and mud flats, it's a vital habitat for rare plants and endangered birds, shaped by natural river processes.

The Ahr Estuary, where the Ahr meets the Rhine, stands as a unique natural and renatured river mouth, unparalleled among the Rhine's tributaries. This protected area is crucial for the preservation of its distinctive water, sand, and mud flats, which are constantly shaped by the Ahr's natural meandering and the deposition of silt, sand, and gravel. It serves as an essential sanctuary for biodiversity, providing a vital habitat for a multitude of rare and endangered wild plants. Furthermore, it supports rare and threatened animal species, particularly various bird species that rely on this dynamic environment for survival. The area's protection ensures the long-term security of these ever-changing, riverine floodplain biocoenoses, preserving a landscape that continually transforms through uninfluenced river dynamics.