TERRA.vita Geopark is located in North-Western Germany in the transitional zone between the northern German lowlands and the north-western hill country, in a distance of about 100 kilometers from the north sea coast and some 35 kilometers east of the Dutch border.With an area of 1.220 square kilometers, the Naturpark is one of the cross-border Parks of the Federal Republic of Germany. 901 square kilometers, are located in Lower Saxony, in the district of Osnabrueck. The rest of the territory, 319 square kilometers, are located in North-Rhine Westfalia in the districts of Minden-Luebbecke, Herford, Guetersloh and the city of Bielefeld. 70% of the Natural Park are covered with forests, the other 30% are mostly used by agriculture.

Geologically, the Natural Park can be subdivided in two regions: The northern part, the so-called "Aenkum-Bippener Berge" or "Aenkumer Hoehe", represents the western part of an altogether 40 km broad "End-moraine" with heights above sea level of up to 140 m. This landscape was formed during the ice age and its elevation is higher than the surrounding northern German lowlands. The southern part of the park is classed as belonging to an average-mountain landscape. Its subsoil consists of massive rock, that is covered by ice age sediments just in some places. The highest point of the average-mountain landscape is the “Doerenberg” with 331m above sea level.

This "Endmoraine"  was created during the Drenthe-stage of the Saale ice age. Experts classify it as one of the most significant and best developed "End-moraines" of North-Western Germany. During several ice advancements older subsoil material, mainly clay sediments of Tertiary age, was pushed together while at the same time as glacio-fluviatile material like sand and gravel was accumulated.

In the interior of the ridge, several single ice-marginal grounds are visible. Probably the "End-moraine"  was superimposed by later ice advancements of the Saale-ice age. The former tongue-like basin of the glacier between the eastern and western part of the moraine is called "Artland" today. The surroundings of these main glacial elements are mainly covered with ground-moraines, just a few glacial outwashes are developed.