The Rastatt City Forest

The Rastatt city and community forest extends over more than 1,550 hectares, providing a diverse habitat for countless species of animals, fungi and plants, pure recreation for visitors and protection from flooding for the people in the region. The forest areas extend from the Rhine in the west to the summit of the Eichelberg in the east, from the Murg in the north to the Rhine bridge in Wintersdorf and the boundary of the Iffezheim district in the south.

The Rastatt municipal forest with its more than 20 different deciduous tree species is one of the most species-rich forests in the region. Several hundred thousand trees stand in the city forest. The oldest trees, English oaks, are up to 200 years old - and even lived through the Baden Revolution. The largest trees are poplars; they are almost 50 meters high and have a volume of up to 30 solid meters per tree. Conifers (two percent), beeches (five percent), oaks (15 percent), maples (19 percent), ash trees (still eleven percent), poplars (ten percent), alders and willows (13 percent) and many other tree species (25 percent) can be found in the city forest.

The Ötigheim forest offers pure relaxation

The approximately 170-hectare Ötigheim forest has been a PEFC-certified recreational forest since 2017. Rastatt was the third city in Germany after Heidelberg and Augsburg to receive this nationwide award for its sustainable recreational forest concept. Parts of the Ötigheim forest are also designated as a protected forest. The old-growth forest can develop freely here. The forest intervenes only slightly.

Due to its proximity to the center, the Ötigheim Forest is particularly popular with excursionists. Hikers, athletes, dog owners and horseback riders meet here. In addition, an important connection for bicycle commuters runs through it from Ötigheim to Rastatt.

The urban forest in this part has been further enhanced in recent years. For example, forest visitors can learn a lot of interesting facts about the forest's trees in a short time along an established educational tree trail. And those who want to get off the beaten path can enjoy nature on the specially designated "Off the Beaten Path" trail outside the nature reserve, which also features a large insect hotel. Numerous seating areas and picnic corners have also been built, and forest paths have been developed.