Buchenwälder an der Einsiedelei – Beech Forests at the hermitage of Olpe

In the ancient Beech forests, there are many trees with cavities that provide nesting places for the breeding populations of Tengmalm's Owl, Black Woodpecker and Grey-headed Woodpecker. Since 2004, the imposing Black Stork has regularly raised its young here. If you visit the area very early or late on springtime days, you can observe the display flights of the Woodcock. The swamp forest and stream-fringing Alder forests are characterised by the occurrence of Downy Birch, Deer Fern, Marsh Violet and various sphagnum moss species. However, the largest botanical treasure of the area is the Lesser Twayblade, an orchid species that is endangered in the whole of Germany. The Einsiedelei forest is the only location for this orchid in North Rhine-Westphalia. The nearest other sites of this rare plant are in southern Lower Saxony and in Thuringia.