12. stop: The Black Clover Path - Knudshoved and Østerø Lake
At Knudshoved and Østerø Lake you will find fantastic nature and exciting wildlife.
Birds and wildlife
The area, especially around Østerø lake, has a rich birdlife that can be studied from the bird tower on the eastern shore of the lake. The lake is a breeding site for a number of shorebirds and waders, e.g. the grebe, which has started to breed in the area in recent years. In the spring and autumn months, large flocks of resting ducks and geese are seen, taking a rest on the long journey to the breeding and wintering sites to the north and south. Several rare species of amphibians also live in the area, including Moor frogs.
Angling
Knudshoved is well known among anglers. There are good fishing opportunities for sea trout, mackerel, cod, hornfish, herring and flatfish. In particular, the southern pier, the coast around the lighthouse and the stone protection at the Great Belt bridge are good fishing spots.
Harbor Porpoises – Natura 2000
The EU has designated the central part of the Great Belt as a special habitat for porpoises, which means that there must be no deterioration of the porpoises' habitats and feeding areas. Among other things. the reefs in the area are protected and sailing with jet skis is prohibited. In the waters around the piers and the bridge, there are good opportunities to see the porpoises when they hunt the many shoals of mackerel, herring and hornfish that live in the strong flowing water. If you are particularly lucky, you can also see seals in the area.
Natura 2000 and Slipshavn Forest
Lake Østerø and the area around the lake have been designated by the EU as a so-called Natura 2000 area.
The classification means that the area is specially protected by the EU, which obliges Denmark to preserve and improve the natural state of the area. The purpose of the designation of Natura 2000 areas is to secure European nature and its diversity.
The special protection includes 57 hectares of beach lakes, lagoons, salt marshes and seawalls. The area is also of great botanical and geological interest. The beach meadows are special in that they alternate between nutrient-rich salt marshes and dry, nutrient-poor beach embankments.
The beach meadows are cared for by grazing. As part of nature conservation, in 2014 Nyborg Municipality fenced off a large part of the reed forest around the lake and plans to expand the grassed salt marsh area. On the salt meadows and seawalls, among many species, mountain carnation, beach carnation, tar carnation, cochlear, beach reeds, kelp and the rare tangurt grow.
Slipshavn Forest
The forest belongs to Juelsberg Estate and is characterized by old untouched forest edges. In the eastern part of the forest, there is a large area of old untouched oak and beech forest with several hundred year old trees which provide nesting opportunities for cavity-nesting birds and are a habitat for many different fungi, mosses and insects.
Protection
The Knudshoved peninsula, south of the motorway and to the west of Lindholm, was protected in 2004.
The purpose of conservation is, among other things, to secure the landscape, the natural and cultural historical values, the recreational values and the recreational use, to regulate the traffic of the public, to establish a framework for the operation of the areas and to create opportunities for nature care and nature restoration and to ensure a favorable conservation status for the natural types of the area. Part of Slipshavn Forest is classified as undisturbed forest.