Where the river sets the rules and nature takes a deep breath, you can discover Germany’s only river floodplain wilderness, where water and land merge in an eternal rhythm. On September 10, 1995, a visionary project became reality with the founding of the Lower Oder Valley National Park.
It holds a special place in Germany’s nature conservation landscape, as it is Germany’s only river floodplain national park. But nature knows no national borders: together with the adjacent Polish landscape conservation parks, it forms a vast, cross-border protected area that preserves one of the last near-natural river valley floodplains in Central Europe.
The heart of this ecosystem is the ingenious system of polders. These low-lying areas are deliberately flooded in winter. What at first glance looks like a “flooded landscape” is a boon for biodiversity. The sediments from the Oder River fertilize the meadows, and in spring the landscape transforms into a mosaic of water and lush greenery.
A paradise for swans
The park’s biodiversity is record-breaking. Bird lovers in particular will find plenty to enjoy here, as the area is home to all eagle species found in Germany. White-tailed, osprey, and the rare lesser spotted eagles can be seen circling majestically overhead. A total of 236 different bird species have been recorded in the Lower Oder Valley National Park to date, using the area as a breeding, resting, or wintering ground.
A truly special spectacle takes place in spring and fall, when thousands of cranes rest in the national park. Those who head to the observation points in the early morning hours experience a magical moment—the birds’ collective takeoff from their roosts in the shallow water to the feeding fields. What makes the morning awakening so special is the soundscape. The trumpeting of the cranes echoing far and wide in the first light of day, paired with the sight of hundreds of silhouettes rising simultaneously against the often fog-shrouded horizon, is unique. It is a moment of absolute grandeur.
Hiking in the Lower Oder Valley National Park
For explorers, the tranquil village of Criewen is an ideal starting point. Here you’ll find not only the National Park Center with its fascinating exhibition, but also the starting point for wonderful hiking trails. A particularly recommended tour is the “Weg der Auenblicke” (Path of the Floodplain Views). It leads from Criewen along the wooded valley slopes . From up there, spectacular panoramic views stretch across the vast polder landscape all the way to Poland—a sight that makes the tranquility and vastness of this unique river landscape palpable.
