EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

Altitudinal zones
Atlantic-Western Atlantic-Western Atlantic-Western European European European
Planar
Colline-submontane
Montane-altomontane/subalpine
“Th ese undisturbed, complex temperate
forests exhibit the most complete and comprehensive
ecological patterns and processes
of pure stands of European beech
across a variety of environmental conditions.
Beech is one of the most important elements
of forests in the Temperate Broad-leaf
Forest Biome and represents an outstanding
example of the re-colonisation and
development of terrestrial ecosystems and
communities after the last ice age, a process
which is still ongoing.” (UNESCO World
Heritage Committee)
Th e World Natural Heritage is situated in
the biogeographic region “Carpathian beech
forests” with a centre of diversity in the
Eastern Carpathians.
Kellerwald
Serrahn
Alpic
Central European
European
Hainich
Jasmund
Grumsin
Illyric-Balkan
Illyric-Balkan
Illyric-Balkan
South South South European/montane
European/montane
European/montane
It is part of the Inner Carpathians, which
form a continuous mountain range over
1,300 km in length, 100 to 350 km in width,
and up to 2,600 m in height. In the periphery
and the montane-altomontane zone, large
portions of this richly wooded mountain
range are charac terised by specious beech
and mixed beech forests. Th e potential
natural range of the beech forests therefore
comprises an area of approx. 92,000 km 2
throughout the Carpa thian centre zone,
which corresponds to roughly one-tenth of
the pan-European beech forest area. Specifi c
peculiarities of these Carpathian forests
include the richness in endemic species, the
occurrence of Europe’s largest population of
predatory mammals with some 8,000 brown
bears, 4,000 wolves and 3,000 lynxes as well
2. DESCRIPTION
Primeval Beech Forests
of the Carpathians
Carpathian
Carpathian
Carpathian
Fig. 2.2: Biogeographic differentiation
of European beech
forests (from HOFFMANN
& PANEK 2006), including
positions of the German component
parts and the Carpathian
World Natural Heritage site.
The bio-geographic region that
is Central Europe can be further
subdivided in a "Sub-atlantic-
South Central Europe" sub-territory
(in the plant geographical
sense of MEUSEL et al. 1965)
and a “Baltic” sub-territory.
The German beech forests
rank among the prime
elements to document the
ongoing postglacial development
process of the
European beech forests.
Nationale
Naturlandschaften
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