NSG Gallberg, Hildesheim

The Gallberg is a nature reserve in the city of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony.

The nature reserve with the registration number NSG HA 054 is 57.6 hectares in size. It is completely part of the FFH area "Haseder Busch, Giesener Berge, Gallberg, Finkenberg". In the south it borders on the nature reserve "Finkenberg/Lerchenberg" as well as in the northwest on the landscape protection area "Gallberg, Finkenberg and Lerchenberg" and in the east partly on the landscape protection area "Rottsberghang". The area has been under nature protection since August 3, 1976. The southern, 10.5-hectare part of the nature reserve was absorbed into the "Finkenberg/Lerchenberg" nature reserve, which was designated on December 2, 2004. The remaining 42.5-hectare nature reserve was expanded to its current size on February 21, 2013. The responsible lower nature conservation authority is the city of Hildesheim.

The nature reserve is located on an elongated shell limestone hill in the west of the city of Hildesheim between Moritzberg and Sorsum. It protects a semi-arid grassland on the western slope, which is partly covered with bushes. To preserve the landscape, the areas are grazed by cattle, sheep and Boer goats in the summer months. In the south of the protected area there is an old orchard. The remaining areas of the protected area are farmed as arable land or grassland with different intensities of use.

The open landscape on the Gallberg is the remnant of a historic cultural landscape. Numerous plants that depend on open areas, including many species threatened by extinction, settle here. For example, German fringed gentian and bee ragwort as well as red campion and Gamander speedwell are native here. The area is the habitat of numerous birds, butterflies, grasshoppers, beetles, spiders and lizards. Birds of prey such as sparrow hawks, kestrels, red and black kites use the area for foraging.

A nature discovery trail runs through the nature reserve. To the south, the Gallberg merges into the forest areas of the Rottsberg. The area is looked after by the Ornithological Association of Hildesheim.