EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

44 NOMINATION DOSSIER "ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Old beech in Jasmund
The Jasmund National Park
ranks among the speciesrich
eutraphent beech
forests of the planar altitudinal
zone. Primeval beech
forest relics populate
the unique chalk cliff s.
2.a.1 Jasmund
Area size
Component part 492.5 ha
Buff er zone 2,510.5 ha
Short profi le and biogeography
Within the biogeographic region “Central
European beech forests”, the Jasmund
National Park ranks among the speciesrich
eutraphent beech forests of the planar
altitudinal zone. Being one of the most
spectacular natural landscapes, it is widely
characterised by the highly dynamic coastal
retreat – the chalk cliff s with their natural
beech forest mosaic. Th e forests on the
steep slopes are untouched by human exploitation.
Th ey represent the beech
forest’s permanent struggling zone on the
narrow front of the chalk cliff s toward
the Baltic Sea. It is the largest remaining
beech forest landscape complex (including
springs, brooks, lakes, and mires) in the
Northern Central European plaineland.
Abiotic factors
Geographical position, natural region,
altitudinal zone
Situated in northeasternmost Germany on
the island of Rügen, the nominated property
Jasmund is part of the South Baltic
coastal landscapes. During the last ice age,
the Jasmund peninsula was shaped to its
present surface confi guration with its distinct
forest ridges and the coast fringe (LANGE
et al. 1986). Th e dynamics of the Baltic Sea
have ever since been sculpting the distinct
appearance of the coast. Jasmund rises
from the sea to heights of 60 to 161 m above
sea level as a massive chalk block.
Geology and geomorphology
Jasmund comprises formations dating back
to the Cretaceous as well as the Pleistocene
and Holocene periods. Th e writing chalk
of Rügen was formed some 70 million
years ago in the Upper Cretaceous. With
thicknesses of up to 150 m, the chalk
deposits (weakly cemented biomicrite,
CaCO 3 ) are composed of amassed calcareous
skeletons and silicifi ed hard parts of various
marine animal species. Particularly striking
is the occurrence of black fl int within the