Federsee is a lake located just north of Bad Buchau in the region of Upper Swabia in Southern Germany . It is surrounded by moorland , partially overgrown with reeds . With a size of 33 km (8,155 acres), the area is one of the largest, groundwater fed, connected moorlands in Southern Germany. At its deepest point, Lake Federsee has a depth of 2 metres (6.5 feet). Federsee translates to 'feather lake' and its shape resembles that of a feather. However, the origin of its name is locally debated, with one camp defending the shape theory, and another championing the idea that the amount of feathers found on the lake's surface gave rise to its name. The most probable explanation for the origin of the name is, however, the Celtic word "pheder" which means marsh. Therefore, the name refers to the origin of the lake itself and the surrounding landscape. The lake is encircled by the town of Bad Buchau, and the villages of Moosburg , Alleshausen , Seekirch , Tiefenbach , and Oggelshausen .
7-423: The lake and its immediate surroundings are a designated Special Protection Area for the conservation of wild birds . Around 265 bird species live in the vicinity of the lake, 107 of which are breeding here. The lake is also populated by 200 breeding pairs of whinchats and 18 breeding pairs of marsh harriers . Both are endangered species. The Lake Federsee area has been declared a Special Protection Area under
14-732: A duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds. Together with special areas of conservation (SACs), the SPAs form a network of protected sites across the EU, called Natura 2000 . Each SPA has an EU code – for example the North Norfolk Coast SPA has the code UK9009031 . As at 21 September 2006, there were 252 classified SPAs and 12 proposed SPAs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994 implement
21-536: Is impossible to access the lake directly. Therefore, a narrow wooden boardwalk approx 1.5 km (0.93 mi) in length was constructed. Starting near the parking area at the Federsee Museum, it leads through the reed belt until open water is reached. Here one finds an observation platform and boat rental facility. There are a variety of piers leading to different parts of the protected area, which otherwise would be inaccessible by foot. The village of Tiefenbach
28-634: Is located closest to the water. When Lake Federsee's surface is frozen during the winter months it is possible to walk from Tiefenbach to Bad Buchau across the frozen lake. Special Protection Area A special protection area ( SPA ) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds . Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have
35-583: The European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds and the Habitats Directive . Furthermore, the area is part of the European ecology network Natura 2000 . The basin of Lake Federsee is famous for its excavations of Stone Age and Bronze Age artifacts, which are prominently displayed at the Federsee Museum. Since the lake is completely surrounded by belts of reed and bogs , it
42-742: The sea, and for these areas SSSI notification is not possible. In Scotland, some SPAs have been classified without any underpinning designation by SSSI. Special Protection Areas for Birds in Poland are called OSOPs ( Polish : Obszar Specjalnej Ochrony Ptaków ). As of 2005, there were 72 OSOP Areas designated as such. In the Netherlands, Special Protection Areas for birds are called Vogelrichtlijngebied . The Castro Verde SPA extends into six municipalities of Baixo Alentejo Subregion : Aljustrel , Almodôvar Municipality , Beja Municipality , Castro Verde Municipality , Mértola and Ourique Municipality,
49-586: The terms of the Directive in Scotland, England and Wales. In Great Britain , SPAs (and SACs) designated on land or in the intertidal area are normally also notified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and in Northern Ireland as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs). For example, the Broadland SPA in eastern England is a conglomeration of some 28 SSSIs. SPAs may extend below low tide into
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