Rastplatz Grafenau

Rest area Grafenau near Niederkappel

The meadow, a man-made habitat ...
With a few exceptions, meadows are man-made habitats which, under natural conditions, would gradually become overgrown and subsequently deforested. Over the millennia, however, meadows have become valuable, species-rich habitats that now need to be preserved. In the upper Danube valley in particular, the meadows are threatened by high afforestation pressure, as cultivation is apparently no longer worthwhile in many places. One valuable type of meadow, for example, is the orchard meadow, the traditional form of fruit tree population, which often occurs in the immediate vicinity of farmhouses. The trees stand in rows or irregularly and the undergrowth is often used as pasture. It is a particularly species-rich habitat and is home to insects, bird species and mammals. Old tree hollows are breeding grounds for many animal species. For people, they are not only a source of food, but also beautify the landscape and are a source of recreation. You can also buy some good distillates and cider in the area.

Near Grafenau there was the Jungfernsee - the story "Das steinerne Heu" tells how this lake got its name.