Neckartal zwischen den Neckarbrücken von Hochberg und Neckarweihingen Protected Landscape Map and Geography

The protected landscape was designated on 5 September 1988 through an ordinance issued by the lower nature conservation authority at the Ludwigsburg district office. Its establishment followed the pattern of numerous landscape protection areas created across Baden-Württemberg in the late twentieth century, aimed at preserving traditional mixed cultural landscapes outside of larger nature reserves.

The cultural landscape the area protects is the result of long-standing human use of the Neckar valley, including centuries of viticulture on the terraced slopes and traditional grassland management in the floodplain. Although the landscape protection designation itself dates to 1988, the underlying land use patterns and visible features of terraces, orchard meadows and stone-walled vineyards are considerably older.

A significant ecological milestone within the area is the renaturalization of the Zugwiesen along a Neckar meander, which transformed a previously more regulated riverside section into a near-natural floodplain landscape. The 1988 protection ordinance and subsequent conservation work together reflect an approach that combines preservation of existing cultural landscape elements with active ecological restoration of degraded floodplain sections.

The landscape is defined by the Neckar valley between two bridge crossings, the Hochberg bridge in Remseck and the Neckarweihingen bridge in Ludwigsburg. The river flows through this section in broad meanders, creating the conditions for the alluvial floodplain that forms the valley floor. Around the river, the terrain rises gently to support vineyards and orchard meadows on the slopes and edges.

The most distinctive visual feature of the area is the Zugwiesen, a Neckar meander where former cultivated floodplain land has been renaturalized into a more natural riverine landscape. The Zugwiesen illustrate the ecological and scenic value of meandering river sections, where shallow water zones, softwood and hardwood floodplain forest stands, and open wet meadows combine to form a varied habitat mosaic.

Above the floodplain, the valley slopes carry the historical terraced vineyards that contribute strongly to the area's visual character. These terraces, built and maintained with natural stone walls and integrated stone steps, mark the boundary between cultivated valley floor and the higher plateau landscapes Beyond the vineyards, orchard meadows occupy transitional zones, while the named sub-areas of Uhlberg, Lochholz and Beuzlen represent wooded and semi-open edge landscapes that frame the valley.

Ecologically, the protected landscape reflects a typical Neckar valley ecosystem, with a transition from aquatic and riparian habitats along the river to terrestrial habitats on the slopes and valley edges. The floodplain meadows of the Neckar are among the most ecologically valuable elements, supporting wet grassland communities and providing habitat connectivity that many species depend on in a heavily populated region.

The Zugwiesen floodplain represents a particularly important habitat area within the designation. Its renaturalized profile includes sections of softwood floodplain forest, areas of open water and wet meadows, and transitional zones where grassland gradually gives way to woodland. This habitat mosaic supports insects, amphibians, and birds associated with the river.

On the slopes, the terraced vineyards and orchard meadows represent cultivated but ecologically valuable habitats. The natural stone walls and terraces provide niches for certain plants and invertebrates, while the orchard meadows support pollinators and bird species typical of traditional European orchard landscapes. The wooded edge areas, including areas like Lochholz, provide additional habitat structure and act as ecological transitions between open valley floor and surrounding forest.

Wildlife interest in the protected landscape centers on species associated with riverine and floodplain environments, complementing species typical of vineyard terraces, orchard meadows and adjacent woodland. The renaturalized Zugwiesen section provides habitat for wetland birds, amphibians, and insects, while the broader mosaic of meadows, hedges and woodland edges supports common native fauna of the Neckar basin.

Terraced vineyards and orchard meadows typically host pollinators, small passerines, and various invertebrates that benefit from the warm microclimate and structural diversity of stone walls and scattered fruit trees. Woodland edge areas such as Lochholz and the Uhlberg area extend available habitat for forest-dwelling and edge species.

Although the protected landscape is not a strict fauna reserve, its ecological function in maintaining habitat connectivity along the Neckar valley is recognized as significant for native flora and fauna within the broadly urbanized Ludwigsburg area.

The protection ordinance of 5 September 1988 defines the conservation purpose as the preservation and safeguarding of the original character of a varied cultural landscape and its ecological function for the natural environment. The ordinance emphasizes that the habitats of native animal and plant species, along with the attractive overall landscape, should be protected against disruptive changes.

A central conservation focus is the maintenance of the historical terraced vineyards, including their natural stone walls and integrated stone steps, as well as the preservation of orchard meadows and the floodplain meadows of the Neckar valley. These landscape elements are recognized as both ecologically and visually valuable components of the protected area's identity.

The ordinance also restricts new construction and fencing within the protected area, reflecting the intent to preserve the area's open and connected character. The renaturalization of the Zugwiesen meander represents an active conservation achievement, demonstrating how floodplain habitats can be restored along a heavily used river. Taken together, these measures aim to maintain a working cultural landscape that continues to deliver ecological functions rather than being converted into a static reserve.

The landscape protection area lies within a culturally rich stretch of the Neckar valley between Ludwigsburg and Remseck am Neckar. Ludwigsburg is well known for its Baroque palace complex and surrounding gardens, while Remseck and the district communities along this section of the Neckar have long histories of viticulture, agriculture and river-based trade.

Terraced viticulture along the Neckar slopes is a defining element of regional cultural identity, with vineyards forming part of the Württemberg wine-growing tradition. The maintained stone walls and staircases of these terraces are cultural features in their own right, illustrating how generations of winegrowers shaped the valley floor. Orchard meadows in the same region also reflect a long tradition of mixed land use.

The Zugwiesen themselves represent a more recent cultural intervention, in which a former section of cultivated floodplain was deliberately returned to a near-natural state, reflecting evolving attitudes toward river management and the desire to integrate ecological restoration into the surrounding cultural landscape.

Among the area's most notable features are the renaturalized Zugwiesen floodplain meander, the historical terraced vineyards with natural stone walls and staircases between Hochberg and Neckarweihingen, and the broad floodplain meadows of the Neckar valley. The combination of cultivated valley slopes, river floodplain and wooded edge areas creates one of the more varied small protected landscapes in the Landkreis Ludwigsburg.

The designation also stands out for its role as part of a connected network of protected landscapes along the Neckar, linking similar areas upstream and downstream. Within that network, this protected landscape plays a specific role in preserving the cultural and ecological transition between the urban area of Ludwigsburg and the more open Neckar valley heading toward Remseck and Marbach.

The protected landscape can be appreciated across much of the year, but spring and early summer typically bring the freshest expression of the floodplain meadows, blossoming orchard fruit trees, and visible activity around the renaturalized Zugwiesen. Late spring through early summer is also a productive period for observing floodplain and orchard wildlife.

Late summer and early autumn bring the visual peak of the terraced vineyards along the valley slopes, when grape harvest activities enliven the historic stone-terrace landscape and emphasize the cultural character of the area. In winter, the open meadows and exposed stone walls of the vineyards remain accessible and offer a quieter perspective on the valley's structure, although seasonal access to particular paths or sections may vary.