EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

72 NOMINATION DOSSIER "ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Fig. 2.17: Areas of retreat,
centres of expansion and
expansion of the beech in the
postglacial period (from
LEIBNITZ INSTITUT
FÜR LÄNDERKUNDE,
modified according to MAGRI
et al. 2006)
The beech’s expansive
capacity is unbroken. It has
not yet reached its climatic
limits.
1,000
up to
9,000
2,000
up to
8,000
5,000
6,000
up to
7,000
6,000
1,000
7,000
5,000
up to
6,000
2,000 2,000
4,000
8,000
4,000
7,000
9,000
9,000
Centres of expansion and direction
As is illustrated by the forest history, the
beech has shaped the natural appearance of
Central Europe in a relatively short period
of time. Beech became the dominant tree
species in the low mountain ranges such as
Hainich and Kellerwald for some longer
time than in the northern lowlands, of which
Grumsin was probably the fi rst to be colonised
by the beech, followed by Serrahn and,
fi n a l l y, J a s m u n d .
Th e beech’s expansion in Central Europe is
related with the encroachment of Neolithic
cultures (fi g. 2.18). Man with his settlements
and agriculture did interfere with dynamic
processes which have not come to their
8,000
up to
5,000
6,000
from 14,000 BP
up to
4,000
2,000
up to 1,000
years BP
conclusion yet. Th e succession of settlements
and wasted sites probably aided and accelerated
the simultaneous immigration of the
beeches. Th e beech obviously continued to
take hold in parallel with the cultural
development in Central Europe, which has
left behind characteristic traces. Th e naturally
occurring beech forests were, for
example, repeatedly pushed back over the
course of settlement history. Th e portion
of beech forests has decreased from about
two-third of the German territory to less
than 5% (KNAPP et al. 2008). Primeval
beech forests can be found in Germany in
very small and rare relics only.