The Hobrechtswald

The Hobrechtswald is changing into its autumn gown. The leaves are turning red. The meadows are cloaked in fog. The days are getting shorter and the first migratory birds start heading southwards. Now is also the start of the hunting season. Because there are hardly any large predators such as wolves or bears the stock of game has to be regulated in this way. More information

The Hobrechtswald is both the youngest and also probably the most unusual forest in Berlin. After about a century of use as waste water works it has now become a recreational area and a great place for nature observation for young and old alike. More information

The Hobrechtswald is the largest forest pasture project in Germany. Since 2011, tough breeds of cattle and horses have been allowed to graze on large, fenced-off areas that are still largely accessible to the public. The grazing animals play an important role in the care and preservation of the landscape. More information

The "Lietzengraben" is a drainage ditch that crosses the area. Large shallow ponds accumulate in low-lying areas around the ditch. During its usage as a run-off ditch for waste water, the "Lietzengraben" was straightened and deepened so that the water could drain away more quickly. Nowadays various hydraulic engineering measures keep the water in the landscape to prevent the drying out of the soil. More information

At the end of the 19th century the native sparse pine forest was cut down to make way for a waste water works complex to deal with Berlin’s increasing sanitation requirements. After the shutdown of the very intensively used waste water works a completely transformed landscape was left behind along with contaminated soil. More information

The Hobrechtswald features many attractions. Old waste water pipes with blue tops indicate the “Rieselrundweg” (historic path), and small steel pipes point out the audio guide stations. (Short film, Picture gallery, Audio guide) More information