As the richly structured cultural landscape of our region has a high conservation value as well as being exceptionally valuable for tourism, the upper elevations of the Erzgebirge and Vogtland were included in the former GDR’s national parks programme. With effect from 9 May 1995, the Saxon State Ministry for the Environment and Agriculture designated the area as the Erzgebirge/Vogtland Nature Park by legal decree.

Total area: Approx. 1495 km²

Elevation: From approx. 500 m to 1215 m (Fichtelberg) above sea level

Governing body: The Zweckverband Naturpark “Erzgebirge/Vogtland” (Erzgebirge/Vogtland Nature Park Special-Purpose Association) of the Erzgebirgskreis, Mittelsachsen and Vogtlandkreis districts

Population: Approx. 270,500 inhabitants across 70 towns and municipalities; surface land usage is 9% settlements, 30% agricultural land, 61% forested

Protected areas:
•    181 areas protected as natural monuments (FND)
•    15 landscape conservation areas (LSG)
•    46 nature conservation areas (NSG)
•    56 Natura 2000 sites, including:
     48 Fauna and Flora Habitat areas (FFH)
     8 Special Protection Areas (SPA)

Features: Habitats for critically endangered plant and animal species (e.g. alpine clubmoss, orange lilies, various gentian and orchid species, Eurasian pygmy owls, kingfishers and freshwater pearl mussels); hedgerow landscapes with stone ridges and copses; upland moors and spring moors; mountain meadows and wet meadows; mixed mountain woodlands that are remnants of the ancient Hercynian Forest; mining areas

Development goals: Developing and maintaining the area with consideration for the needs of nature preservation and landscape conservation as well as the need for recreation; safeguarding and improving the ecological and economic conditions; preserving the nature park’s unique cultural character