EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

Beech forests would cover about 66% of
Germany's land area, with the country
consequently occupying some 25% of the
potential total range of European beech
forests.
Historical and cultural developments have
resulted in the beech forests in the Central
European and German centre of distri b ution
having shrunken by over 90% due to
direct destruction and human interfer ence.
Th e nominated component parts are some
of the very last remains. As regards age
and integrity, these are the prime examples
of the beech forest climax ecosystem at its
centre of distribution.
3.c Comparative analysis
3.c.1 Nemoral deciduous
forests of the world
For the most part, the occurrence of deciduous
forests is limited to the Holarctic of
the Earth’s northern hemisphere. Th ey are
found throughout the nemoral zones for
climatic reasons and are limited to moderate
climates with a minimum vegetative period
of four months, a cold phase in the winter,
and humid-(semihumid) conditions.
Th e genus of beech (Fagus) is a typical element
of deciduous forests. It comprises a total
of 14 species that exist under humid climate
conditions in the three major Holarctic
regions of deciduous forest: in the east of
North America, in Europe / West Asia, and
in East Asia. Its counterpart in the southern
hemisphere is the cognate Nothofagus genus
(Fagaceae) with its approx. 45 species native
to the austral and Antarctic zones as
well as the Australian fl oristic realm, to New
Zealand, and to New Guinea.
Fagus spread all over the northern hemi sphere
during the early Tertiary (PETERS 1997).
3. JUSTIFICATION FOR INSCRIPTION
A view into the treetops of
beeches in summer
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