EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

having inspired poets and painters alike
over the centuries. Th is highly dynamic
coast retreat with its “trees precipitating
into the sea” is an overwhelming symbol
of the ongoing ecological processes on the
edge of the beech’s natural range of distribu
tion. Th e beech forests of the steep
slopes are some of the few primeval forest
relics in Germany which have never been
exploited.
3.a.2 Serrahn
Th e “best structured lowland beech forest in
Europe” is to be found in Serrahn (HEISS
1990). Th is appraisal has been corroborated
by recent dendro-entomo logical studies
(MÖLLER 1994). Lakes and mires are
integral components of beech forest landscape
that involve a particularly high moisture
gradient. For the beeches, this means a
“zone of permanent struggling”, with the
beech forests of Serrahn consequently
documenting moisture-related distribution
limits in an outstanding manner.
3.a.3 Grumsin
Grumsin forms part of the world's largest
remaining rather old lowland beech forest
complex that occupies a total area of 6,500
hectares within the core zone cluster of
the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve.
Grumsin is interspersed with small-area
alder fens, forest moors, and lakes in a
unique combination. Th e area therefore
represents an exceedingly textured young
moraine landscapes with altitudes of between
60 and 140 m above sea level and
all the typical elements in a unique fashion.
3.a.4 Hainich
Hainich National Park encompasses what is,
at present, the largest unmanaged deciduous
forest area in Germany. Hainich represents
the best reference area for the specious
eutraphent beech forests of the European
colline-submontane zones with their ground
vegetation rich in geophytes and the exceedingly
attractive fl oral display in early spring,
representing the seasonality of Central
European deciduous forests in a unique
manner. Furthermore, Hainich is situated
within the Central European downs on
the climatic border to an arid region. Here,
the beech is increasingly antagonised by
other tree species. Th e Hainich beech forest
is therefore unique proof of the currently
ongoing ecological processes associated with
the present climate change.
3.a.5 Kellerwald
Th e Kellerwald component part is considered
to be the best reference area for oligotraphent
to mesotraphent beech forests
of the submontane type, the global distribution
focus of which being Germany.
Kellerwald contains the largest protected
area of this type, where undisturbed ecological
and biological processes occur and
is a perfect illustration of acidophilous
beech forests. Moreover, special mention
deserve the primeval forest relics on the steep
slopes where – a unique situation in
Germany – pristine small-area deciduous
forests are found which show an outstanding
diversity and integrity of typical primeval
forest indicator species, a part of which
being dependent on the beeches.
3. JUSTIFICATION FOR INSCRIPTION
Nationale
Naturlandschaften
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