the area's dry and nutrient-poor sandy soil provides a habitat for numerous endangered plants such as the sea thrift, childing pink and wild thyme. the dominant species is sheep fescue. other rare plants include filago and the hairgrass "corynephorus canescens". the grassland provides nesting for various birds, among them the woodlark, the skylark and the titlark. leaving the paths is prohibited during the nesting season from april to july, dogs must be kept on a short leash. a herd of "heidschnucken" sheep keeps the grass short.