A cross-border nature park across Germany and the Netherlands, shaped by rivers, heathland, and former peat landscapes.
Naturpark Maas-Schwalm-Nette
Naturpark Maas-Schwalm-Nette is a cross-border nature park spanning parts of western Germany and the southeastern Netherlands, founded in 2002 and covering roughly 870 square kilometers. It takes its name from the three rivers that flow through it: the Maas, the Schwalm, and the Nette, which together define much of the regional hydrology and landscape character. The park serves as a regionally significant recreation area that links protected landscapes, cultural sites, and visitor centers across municipal and national borders.
The park extends across the German districts of Kleve, Viersen, and Heinsberg, the city of Mönchengladbach, and the Dutch municipalities of Roermond, Roerdalen, Venlo, Echt-Susteren, Leudal, and Maasgouw. Within it lie heathlands, peat-cut lakes, border forests, and small rivers, including notable features such as the Krickenbecker Seen, the juniper heath of the Niederrhein, the Kaldenkirchener Grenzwald with its Sequoiafarm arboretum, and the Dutch Meinweg national park area. Twenty-one visitor centers provide information on landscape, nature, culture, and history, and the park hosts a wide range of excursions and educational programs.