Conifers (primarily spruces), along with pines, beeches, sycamore maples, oaks, and firs, characterize the forest landscape. Dense cushions of moss, cranberries and blackberries, the white-flowering seven-star fern, and the protected ribwort fern grow on the forest floor. Along forest and path edges, you can find foxglove, golden nettle, and hawkweed. The flower-rich forest and moor meadows in the Steinwald Forest enchant with the scent of arnica (see photo), cuckoo flower, thyme, bedstraw, and woodlice. Some meadows even harbor the orchid family, orchids, cloudberries, spleenwort, bittercress, marsh marigold, and matgrass.

Numerous butterfly species thrive on the many flowering plants in the Steinwald Forest. Wild animals also feel at home here: red deer, wild boars, foxes, martens, polecats, and weasels have chosen the nature park as their home. In recent years, lynx and wildcats have even been observed roaming the eastern Bavarian region. With a little luck, you might also catch a glimpse of adders, black storks, freshwater pearl mussels, otters, beavers, and lizards basking on the warm rocks in summer. The game reserve at the Waldhaus is also interesting. A red deer and hinds are kept here, and you can observe them up close.

Two designated nature reserves in the Steinwald Forest are the Föhrenbühl near Grötschenreuth and the Teichelberg near Pechbrunn. The Föhrenbühl covers an area of almost 34 hectares and was created on serpentine rock to protect rare plants. Remnants from the Ice Age and the subsequent warm period can still be found here today. These include nine fern species such as the spleenwort. Dwarf boxwood, juniper, wild trefoil, and mountain St. John's wort also thrive there. The Teichelberg Nature Reserve, with its 115 hectares, is almost four times larger. It serves to protect a broadleaf forest on a basalt hilltop. The Waldnaabtal Nature Reserve also extends between Falkenberg and Windischeschenbach.