EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

98 NOMINATION DOSSIER "ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Beech forest
Acidophilous species-poor Deschampsio-Fagetum
and lowland oak-beech forests
Luzulo-Fagetum of the colline and
submontane zone
Luzulo-Fagetum of the altomontane zone, partly
with fi r and / or spru
Lowland Galio odorati-Fagetum and
Mercuriali-Fagetum
Colline and submontane Galio odorati-Fagetum,
Hordelymo-Fagetum, and Carici-Fagetum,
partially with fi r trees
Galio odorati / Dentario / Lonicero / Seslerio-Fagetum
of the altomontane zone and marginal Alps,
mostly with fi r trees, partially with spruce trees
Potential distribution
(% of German territory)
Current portion of deciduous
forests (% of German territory)
12.28 0.61
21.24 1.70
5.00 0.25
9.73 0.68
14.68 1.76
3.62 0.22
Total % 66.55 5.22
Tab. 3.6: Present and potential
area fractions of beech forests in
Germany (WINTER 2005).
The nominated component
parts rep resent the
largest coherent, oldgrowth
beech forests at
the centre of beech distribution.
They are the most
outstanding representatives
of the species evolution
of Fagus sylvatica and
the ongoing eco logical and
biological processes in
Central European beech
forest ecosystems.
laid on the fact that there is also a number
of endemic species, e. g. among birds the
global distribution of which is limited to the
beech forest landscapes in the centre of
distribution.
Consequently, Germany of all countries bears
the greatest responsibility for the “Central
European Beech Forests”; it is, alongside
with Poland and France, the only country to
display the entire range of beech forest types
from the low mountains to the sea shores.
Moreover, the globally largest pop u lation of
lowland beech forests and species-poor
acidophilous beech forests within the European
range is to be found in Germany.
Th erefore, the illustration of the ongoing
ecological processes since the last glacial
period can be completed only when including
Germany.
While the greatest part of Germany had been
occupied by beech forests when the largescale
deforestation started some 1,100 years
ago, the country has lost major por tions
of its most important forest habitat during
the past millennium. Th e massive loss of
beech forests in Germany due to human in-
fl uence can be seen by comparison of the
potential with the current popu lations (tab.
3.6). Th e forest areas that are potential
beech forest habitats are currently covered by
beech forests but to a minor extent. Moreover,
in excess of 97% of the 1,564,806 ha of
beech forests still existent in Germany
(SCHERFOSE et al. 2007) are managed.
As a consequence of the intensive historical
exploitation of the beech forests, there are
hardly any major old-growth beech forests
left in Germany as the central beech forest
territory, but also in the adjacent beech
countries. Not more than a maximum of 6%
of the German beech forests are older than
160 years (SCHERFOSE et al. 2007). For
the most part, the managed beech forests
are poor both in structure and dead wood
volume. Only a few isolated pockets deserve
a mention as having seen little human
impact. Large-area, unfragmented nearnatural
beech forests are a rare occurrence,
while primeval forests have completely
vanished safe for some minuscule leftovers.
Th ere are, however, a few large-scale, largely
unfragmented old growth and valuable