The Schliffkopf is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually highe ...

in the Northern Black Forest between Baiersbronn, Ottenhöfen and

Oppenau Oppenau () is a town located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It has a population of 4,700 inhabitants. Geography Oppenau is situated in the Rench valley in the Black Forest. The nearest major cities are Offenburg and Freudenstadt. ...

. It is . The Schliffkopf lies on the Black Forest High Road in the National Park and is the site of an eponymous four-star "wellness" hotel. Various long-distance paths, including the West Way, run over the Schliffkopf. At the end of June 2003 a nature trail, the Lothar Path (''Lotharpfad''), was opened at the Schliffkopf on the topic of storm damage. Along an 800-metre-long educational and experience trail, visitors can see how this ten-hectare area, heavily damaged by Hurricane Lothar in 1999, has gradually recovered and been recolonized. The Lothar Path runs along footbridges, ladders and steps and shows how the forces of nature act, how nature deals with destruction in such an area and what naturally regrows. The Schliffkopf is a source region for the Acher and the Murg.

Nature reserves

A 520.1-hectare part of the

raised bog Raised bogs, also called ombrotrophic bogs, are acidic, wet habitats that are poor in mineral salts and are home to flora and fauna that can cope with such extreme conditions. Raised bogs, unlike fens, are exclusively fed by precipitation (ombrot ...

-like summit region has been designated as a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

since 1938. In 1986, on the territory of the district of

Freudenstadt Freudenstadt (Swabian: ''Fraidestadt'') is a town in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is capital of the district Freudenstadt. The closest population centres are Offenburg to the west (approx. 36 km away) and Tübingen to the eas ...

, a further 876.2 ha was granted reserve status. This is intended to protect the typical landscape of the Black Forest '' grinden'' with their extensive woods, stands of

mountain pine ''Pinus mugo'', known as bog pine, creeping pine, dwarf mountain pine, mugo pine, mountain pine, scrub mountain pine, or Swiss mountain pine, is a species of conifer, native to high elevation habitats from southwestern to Central Europe and S ...

and the tarn of Buhlbachsee. Parts of the forest are also designated as '' Schonwald''. The Schliffkopf is also part of the 2,897-hectare

Special Area of Conservation A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...

known as the '' Wilder See-Hornisgrinde''. In addition, the 36,045-hectare bird reserve of ''Nordschwarzwald'' includes the Schliffkopf and thus covers the SAC and nature reserves too.

External links

Naturschutzgebiet Schliffkopf

References

{{Authority control Mountains and hills of Baden-Württemberg Mountains and hills of the Black Forest One-thousanders of Germany