Stixer Wanderdüne

In the middle of the inland dune complex between Neuhaus and Tripkau lies the "Stixer Wanderdüne" (Stix shifting sand dune), whose formation began after the last ice age, the Vistula cold period, through the upwelling of fine valley sands from the glacial valley. As the last open dune of this dune complex, it covers an area of approx. 9.5 ha. 

In the middle of the 19th century, the sparse dry sandy soil typical of the entire inland dune complex was afforested with pine trees, which largely meant the end of the natural dune development process. Only a small part, the Stix shifting sand dune, resisted afforestation and today gives visitors an idea of the landscape at that time.

Buried pines stand as evidence of the dune's activity that still exists today. In dry, windy weather, one can witness the natural spectacle and observe the migration of the sand towards the east.

The "Stixer Wanderdüne" was declared a nature reserve in 1982 due to its special flora and fauna features. On the extremely dry and hot dune tops, the vegetation is dominated by silver grass, sand sedges, mosses and reindeer lichen. It is remarkable that beach grass has also gained a foothold here in the inland. Around the dune, it is mainly pines that can survive on the poor sandy soil; only in the dune valleys are sand birches and English oaks added. These areas are habitats for the woodlark, which builds its nests in the open sandy areas on the ground, and for the nightjar. Both bird species are classified as endangered. In addition, grasshoppers such as the chewing cricket, the grasshopper and the grasshopper, as well as butterflies such as the iron-coloured velvet butterfly and the rusty bandit find sufficient living conditions here. The dune is also a habitat for the "ant lion", larvae of the dragonfly-like ant damselfly, which dig catching funnels in the loose sandy soil and destroy large quantities of forest pests, among other things.