Nothing happens without moss...
Peatlands store up to 700 tons of CO2 per hectare, six times as much as one hectare of forest. They are therefore important both for the climate balance and as a habitat for a large number of animal and plant species. This is also the case in the Murnauer Moos, the largest Alpine fen in Central Europe. It extends south from Murnau to Eschenlohe and west to Grafenaschau. The moss is unique in the Alps in terms of its unity and size, its landscape forms and the flora and fauna that reside there. Many animal and plant species threatened with extinction still have a secure habitat here.
The Murnauer Moos was created during the Würme Ice Age (up to around 15.000 years ago). Around 14.000 years ago the basin was filled by the so-called Murnauer See. Over time, fine sediments formed a water-impermeable layer. Over the millennia, Lake Murnau became increasingly silted up and moors emerged.
Today, well over 1.800 species live in the Murnauer Moos. If you include all insect species, you can assume there are several thousand animal species in the moss. These include the corncrake, the adder, the dwarf dragonfly, various species of snails and mussels and many more.
The flora also shows itself in all its splendor in the Murnauer Moos. Around 1.000 vascular plants and ferns can be found there. There are also around 100 species of moss. The moss is of great importance in protecting endangered species such as the ornamental cotton grass, the creeping celery, the bedbug orchid and the blueberry willow.
You can experience the Murnauer Moos on a guided hike or on the 12 kilometer long Moos circular trail. To preserve biodiversity, it is important that you do not stray from official routes. We thank you very much for this!
