LU0001029 Région de la Moselle supérieure
The Upper Moselle Habitat Conservation Area is located in the extreme south-east of Luxembourg and extends over two natural growth areas, the Moselle valley and the Moselle foreland bordering it to the west. The two natural areas differ both in terms of landscape and geology. Most of the area of the upper Moselle lies in a wide, gently undulating landscape built up of rocks of the Keuper. In the west, the area partly reaches up to the plateau, which is covered by marls and limestones. Several faults characterise the landscape with steep escarpments and rocky edges. Around Schengen, older rocks of the Muschelkalk and the Buntsandstein are increasingly visible. The youngest rocks in the area are the deposits of slope debris and terrace gravels of the Moselle. The soils on the south-facing slopes are shallow, while on the north-facing slopes and further down the valley there are thicker clay soils. Brown alluvial soils are found along the Moselle floodplains. Hydrologically, the area is dominated by the Moselle, which also represents the border to Germany. All streams in the Moselle foreland drain directly into the Moselle, such as the Bousserbaach, the Heidbaach and the Aalbaach. In the area of the Haff Réimech nature reserve, the dredging ponds are mainly fed by groundwater and, during floods, by the Kuerlerbaach. The Upper Moselle region is one of the climatically favoured locations in Luxembourg. More than half of the area is covered by forest, agriculturally used land makes up about one third. In the area, 12 habitat types were recorded, which together cover more than half of the area, with lowland hay meadows (6510) dominating the open land. According to the SDF (Standard Data Form), in addition to 4 bat species, including the two target species, Myotis emerginatus (Geoffroy’s bat) and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (greater horseshoe bat), 2 insect species, as well as one species each from the group of fish, amphibians and plants protected under Annex II of the Habitats Directive, occur in the area. In addition, another 12 insect, 8 plant, 3 mammal, 1 amphibian and 1 reptile species are important because of their rarity or particularity in the area. According to the SDF, the four target species protected under Annex I of the Birds Directive occur in the area. The Moselle valley is a special refuge for many species, especially with regard to wetlands, both for birds as breeding and resting places, and for various insect, amphibian and plant species. Of particular interest to LIFE Bats & Birds is the presence of Luxembourg’s only weekly roost of the greater horseshoe bat. The largest national colony of Geoffroy’s bats also lives in the same building.