Heidschnucken (Moorland Sheep) on the Lüneburg Heath

As a natural space, the Lüneburg Heath is characterized by wide expanses of heathland. At the beginning of the 19th century, large parts of northern Germany were still heathland, most of which is now gone. The cultural landscape of the Lüneburg Heath emerged as a result of the over-grazing of woodlands from the Neolithic period onward and is kept open today by Heidschnucken (moorland sheep).

Heidschnucken on stony ground, Lüneburg Heath, colour photograph, 2007, photographer: Willow; image source: Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steingrund_009.jpg,  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en.