Heissiwald Wildlife Enclosure in Essen

The Heissiwald, also Heißiwald, above the Baldeneysee in the Bredeney district of Essen It features hiking trails, a wildlife enclosure, and a forest nature trail. The Heissiwald is the perfect place for kindergarten and elementary school children to experience nature up close, and also offers adults an unparalleled nature experience. Hikes around the Baldeneysee, towards Bergisches Land or to Kettwig Furthermore, the wildlife enclosure is one of the most popular and beautiful recreational opportunities in Essen.

The wildlife enclosure is located in the center of the Heissiwald district and has existed since 1964. The enclosure, also known as a game reserve, owes its continued existence to the "Wildgatter Essen Heissiwald eV" support association, founded in 1994. The association's goal is to ensure the maintenance of this facility through donations and membership fees, as public funding has apparently been unavailable for some time. The game reserve covers approximately 6 hectares and is divided into three sections, which house four species of game: wild boar, mouflon, red deer, and fallow deer. Wild boar, whose family includes wild boar, are omnivores and are nocturnal. Among the deer species, red deer are of particular importance. Like wild boar, they also live in herds. Mouflon, also known as wild sheep, are also herd animals and live predominantly in the forest. Fallow deer are distinguished by their brown coat with characteristic white spots. The animals can be observed from four high viewing platforms. These platforms are not wheelchair accessible. The Ferienspatz, a holiday program for schoolchildren, regularly organizes events at the facility.

Arrival by car is via the Werden mountain from Bredeney Coming from, or via the path to the plateau from Werden. Please note that the path to the plateau becomes a one-way street in the section below Heissiwald and can only be driven by car in the direction of Bredeney. At Heissiwald there is a hiking parking lot from which popular and well-marked hiking tours start, including the Bergischer Weg and the Kettwiger Promenadensteig circular hiking trails. Baldeneysteig. There are three circular hiking trails in total, all starting from the trailhead parking lot. The wildlife enclosure is just a short walk from the parking lot.

Because the wildlife enclosure resembles a plateau in the otherwise steep terrain, even small children and the elderly can easily navigate the circular path around the enclosure (Heissiwald). Restaurants in the vicinity provide refreshments. Collected chestnuts, acorns, and beechnuts can be dropped off at the forester's lodge at Am Korintenberg during office hours. There are also containers at the wildlife enclosure that can be filled with them. The operator strongly urges visitors not to store or dispose of these forest fruits in plastic bags. Chestnuts, acorns, and beechnuts contaminated with mold spores or mold itself will contaminate everything and make the animals sick, which must be prevented.

The Heissiwald is a protected landscape area covering approximately 85 hectares. It is part of the wooded northern Ruhr Heights near Essen and was formerly known as the "Plattenwald" (Plateau Forest). Until the 19th century, the Heissiwald was a largely treeless hilltop used as pasture and arable land. It wasn't until the beginning of the 20th century that the landowner Wilhelm Bernsau afforested the plateau into a mixed forest. In 1925, the city of Essen acquired the area and named it Heissiwald. The former villa of [name missing], built in 1955, was located in the immediate vicinity. Alfred Krupp von Bohnen und Halbach overlooking the Baldeneysee, which was subsequently inhabited by the long-time general manager of the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, Bertholt Beitz and his wife, and was actually demolished in 2021 for a new building project.

The forest comprises many different tree species, including pedunculate and red oak, as well as beech, larch, and Douglas fir. A large portion of the coniferous trees that characterized the forest were destroyed in a storm in 1942. In 2000, foresters and trainees created a nature trail along which many of the aforementioned tree species can be found. Besides its importance as a recreational forest, the Heissiwald also serves the functions of habitat protection, climate protection, and noise abatement, as the busy B224 federal highway runs below it. Furthermore, the approach path to Düsseldorf Airport and the air traffic from Essen/Mülheim Airport should also be mentioned in this context. The wildlife enclosure is open around the clock – however, entering the enclosures is understandably not permitted.