Approximately half the area of the park is open Baltic Sea; more than another quarter covers parts of the lagoons in the
Darss-Zingst Bodden Chain including the
West Rügen Bodden. Thus it protects these shallow water areas (in the Baltic Sea, the National Park boundary is based on the ten-metre depth contour) with their rich flora and fauna. The differing salt content of the
brackish water habitats of the Baltic and the
bodden (shallow lagoons) contribute significantly to the local diversity of nature. For example, the
Baltic Herring visits the shallow bays regularly to spawn here. The territory of the national park includes parts of the
Darß and the peninsula of
Zingst as well as most of the island of
Hiddensee. In addition, a narrow strip of land on the island of
Rügen, next to the
bodden lies within the national park. Pine and beech woods, such as the
Darß Forest, cover much of the land. In treeless areas there are
bogs, resulting from
coastal flooding. == See also ==