Erstein Forest National Nature Reserve

Erstein Forest National Nature Reserve protects one of Alsace's best-preserved stretches of floodplain forest, spread along a former wide bed of the Rhine roughly 15 kilometres south of Strasbourg, within the municipality of Erstein in the Bas-Rhin department. Established by decree on 18 September 1989, the reserve covers 180 hectares of almost entirely forested land.

What does the reserve's landscape look like?

The protected area forms a roughly rectangular strip about 2 kilometres long and 0.8 kilometres wide. Its defining feature is a dense network of former side channels of the river, known locally as "Giessen" — remnants of a time when the Rhine ran unconstrained and repeatedly shifted course, carving branching channels and oxbow-like features. These damp, low-lying strips alternate with drier ridges, creating the mosaic of habitats typical of alluvial forest.

What plants and animals live here?

The reserve's flora numbers nearly 400 plant species, including 57 varieties of trees and shrubs that, thanks to the fertile alluvial soil and abundant water, often grow to unusually large sizes. The wealth of old, hollow trees and deadwood favours forest birds, which occur here at twice the density found in typical lowland forests. Surveys have recorded 78 bird species, 29 vertebrate species overall, and 44 species of day-flying butterflies and dragonflies — an insect diversity directly linked to the combination of water, open clearings and mature woodland.

Who manages the reserve?

The site is managed by the Conservatoire des Sites Alsaciens, the organisation responsible for protecting and monitoring the most ecologically valuable land in the Alsace region. Its national nature reserve status gives the forest strict legal protection, with management aimed at preserving the natural character of this floodplain forest — one of the rarer and more threatened ecosystem types in Western Europe.

Why is the Erstein forest worth visiting?

The reserve offers a rare glimpse of what the extensive floodplain forests along the untamed Rhine once looked like, before the river was channelled and regulated. The interplay of former channels, damp hollows and tall, old trees creates a landscape with a distinctive microclimate, where shade and moisture support rare plants and animals seldom encountered elsewhere in the region.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the reserve located? In Alsace, in the Bas-Rhin department, within the municipality of Erstein, about 15 km south of Strasbourg, in a former bed of the Rhine.

How large is the reserve? It covers 180 hectares, mostly forested, measuring roughly 2 by 0.8 kilometres.

When was the reserve created? It was established by decree on 18 September 1989.

What vegetation characterises the site? Floodplain forest with nearly 400 plant species and 57 varieties of trees and shrubs that reach unusually large sizes here.

How many bird species can be found there? Surveys have recorded 78 bird species — twice the density typical of lowland forests.