The Maas-Schwalm-Nette Nature Park (; ) or NMSM is a cross-border nature park in Germany and the Netherlands, which was founded in 2002. It is a regionally important recreation area.
Description
The park has an area of 870 km². Its name comes from the major rivers that flow through it, the Maas (English: Meuse), Schwalm and Nette.
The park is often confused with the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park which was founded in 1965 and has since been integrated into the NMSN.
It covers an area that includes the counties of Kleve, Viersen and Heinsberg as well as the town of Mönchengladbach in Germany and in the municipalities of Roermond, Roerdalen, Venlo, Echt-Susteren, Leudal and Maasgouw in the Netherlands.
Within the Maas-Schwalm-Nette Nature Park is the nature reserve of Krickenbecker Seen with its four lakes that were formed by peat cutting. On the territory of Niederkrüchten lies the only juniper heath of the Lower Rhine Region, surrounded by the Elmpter Schwalmbruch. In addition the Kaldenkirchen Border Forest (Nettetal) with its arboretum, the Sequoia Farm and the geo-hydrological water garden is part of the park.
21 visitor centres provide information about the landscape, art, nature, culture and history of the park. Numerous excursions and activities are also offered.
Its water balance was and is affected by the brown coal open-cast pits south of Mönchengladbach. After the Garzweiler I pit had been exhausted, work began on Garzweiler II. This is slowly approaching Mönchengladbach and also the NMSN.
Information centres
in Germany
Haus Püllen nature park centre in Wachtendonk
Krickenbecker Seen information centre in Nettetal
Nature park information point at Brüggen Castle
Wildenrath Nature Park Centre near Wegberg
in the Netherlands
Groote Heide information centre near Venlo
Visitor centre of the De Meinweg National Park near Herkenbosch
Nature reserve facilities
NABU nature reserve centre (Naturschutzhof) in Nettetal-Sassenfeld
NABU nature reserve station at Haus Wildenrath
Museums and other facilities
in Germany
Lower Rhine Open-Air Museum in Grefrath
Die Scheune Textile Museum in Nettetal-Hombergen
Landschaftshof Baerlo in Nettetal-Leutherheide with "green classroom" Geo-hydrological water garden in Nettetal-Kaldenkirchen Kaldenkirchen Sequoia Farm – arboretum Hunting and natural history museum, Brüggen Castle, Brüggen Schrofmühle mill in Wegberg-Rickelrath Beecker Flax Museum in Beeck (Wegberg) in the Netherlands Kinderboerderij Hagehof near Venlo, a farm for children Botanische Tuin, Jochum-Hof in Steyl has hiesige plants and a Mediterranean garten Visitor centre Towana en keramiekcentrum Tiendschuur in Tegelen offers insights into the hiesige manufacture of pottery De Kookboerderij en De Historische Groentehof in Beesel; a cooking studio in an old farmyard St. Elisabethshof NME Centre en Strekkmuseum Leudal in Haelen with local history museum The Roerstreek Museum in Roermond with inter alia archaeological finds Das Bijen visitor centre in Mariahoop provides information on the world of bees
Film
Bilderbuch Germany: Der Nature parks Maas-Schwalm-Nette. Documentary, 45 min., a film by Tilman Jens, produced by: WDR, first broadcast: 8 July 2007, Contents
See also
List of nature parks in Germany
List of lakes of Germany
References
External links
Maas-Schwalm-Nette Nature Park
Schwalm-Nette Nature Park
Nature parks in North Rhine-Westphalia
Parks in Limburg (Netherlands) Heinsberg (district) Viersen (district) Mönchengladbach Roerdalen Roermond Venlo Protected areas established in 2002 2002 establishments in Germany 2002 establishments in the Netherlands
