A small post-mining nature reserve in the Lippe region recovering into a mosaic of heath, reed, and woodland.
Naturschutzgebiet Abgrabung Stemmen
Naturschutzgebiet Abgrabung Stemmen is a compact nature reserve covering roughly 20 hectares in the municipality of Kalletal, in the Kreis Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies just east of the village of Stemmen, close to the Lower Saxon state border, and protects a former sand and gravel quarry that has been gradually recolonized by plants and wildlife.
The reserve is characterized by a varied post-industrial landscape of settling basins, embankments, access tracks, and small halds, with ruderal grasslands, willow scrub, reed beds, and surviving older oak stands. Documented species include rare plants such as Dyer's Greenweed and Spotted Orchid along with fauna ranging from Marsh Warbler and Hen Harrier to Tree Frog and Wall Lizard, reflecting the ecological value of these secondary habitats.
Although narrow in scale and modest in profile, the area carries clear conservation importance. It was first designated as a protected area in 1995 by the district council of Lippe and re-designated in 2004, with management guided by a care and development plan prepared by the Biologische Station Lippe.
