Harz National Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Harz National Park | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
| Location: | Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, Germany |
| Area: | 247 km² |
| Established: | 1990, 1994 |
The Harz National Park is a nature reserve in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It comprises large portions of the western Harz mountains, extending from Herzberg at the southern edge of the mountain range to Bad Harzburg on the northern slopes. The total area is 247 km².
In its current form, the park was created in 2006 by joining the Harz National Park in Lower Saxony (created in 1994) with the Upper Harz National Park in Saxony-Anhalt (created in 1990). It comprises parts of the districts of Goslar, Osterode, and Wernigerode. The elevation is between 230 m and 1142 m (Brocken). 95% of the area are covered with forest (mainly coniferous forests).
Rare animals of the Harz National Park include the dipper, the black stork, peregrine falcon and especially the lynx. The lynx became extinct in the Harz Mountains in the early 19th century, but in 1999 a project for reintroducing the lynx was established.
