Mueritz National Park, Mecklenburg- Vorpommern, Germany

The Mueritz National Park covers 318 sq. kilometres and is part of the Mecklenburg Lowland Lake District which was formed during the Ice Age 12.000 years ago. The larger part of the National Park, stretching from the east banks of the Müritz and bordering on the towns of Waren, Neustrelitz and Mirow, is a sandy landscape formed by glacial melt waters. The second and considerably smaller part covers the moraine and scree terrain east of Neustrelitz and around Serrahn; it stretches to Hirschberg (143,5 m), the highest elevation in the National Park.

	The major part (65 %) of the National Park is woodland. The 100 or more lakes cover 12 %, marshes 8 %, meadows and heaths 6 % and arable land 3 % of the area.The National Park is very thinly populated and has accordingly much undisturbed nature. A great many threatened species of plants and creatures find their ideal living conditions here.
Huge deciduous forests, mostly beech, dominate the landscape; most have not been cultivated for at least 40 years, for instance in the Serrahner part of the National Park. Those interested in "virgin forest" will find much of interest here.

After the uncontrolled plunder deforestation of 200 years ago came supervised forestry. Some 75 % of the woodlands were planted with conifers and from the turn of the century with other foreign tree species such as Douglas fir, spruce, larch and red oak.

The Mueritz National Park is especially notable for its many lakes. Their profusion and the rich variety of dependent flora and fauna make the whole area a place of natural interest. The waters range from acid, nutrient poor, brown water lakes to alkaline, nutrient poor clear lakes and the typic nutrient rich shallow waters.
The water source and the overflow from the Havel, with a whole chain of charming lakes, are in the National Park. The marshes with their specialised flora and fauna are of special interest; there are different types of marsh and fen in the National Park such as basins, spring moors, swamps and shallows.

An excursion to the extensive cultivated meadows near Mueritzhof is highly recommended. Careful pasturage with Swedish Fjaell cattle and Gotland sheep has helped to conserve and encourage threatened plant species such as orchids, gentians, and saponaria.

As well as being a nature reserve the National Park also serves as a rest and recreation area for many vistors. There is an extensive network of cycle and footpaths with viewing points which offer wonderful vistas of the countryside and make cycling, coaching and hiking easy and pleasant.
There are two waterside walks which make for a pleasant stroll and also guided nature walks led by experienced tour guides. Art lovers will find much of interest in the National Park too.

Every year since 1992 an event named the "The art circuit in the Mueritz National Park" has taken place, with works by local and foreign artists which you can see and admire at the entrances to the park.

(The ownership and user’s rights e.g of pictures and graphics are the property of the National Park authority, i.e. from MANET GmbH)
Illustrations editor: Guenter Struppe, Frank Haensel, Igor Heinzel + Herr Weißkopf (Nationalparkhotel Kranichrast)