EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

104 NOMINATION DOSSIER "ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Tab. 4.1: Duration of process
protection in the nominated
component parts
The nominated property is
predestined by its forest
continuity to document
the ongoing ecological
processes of European
beech forests since the last
glacial period.
Tab 4.2: States of naturalness
of the five nominated component
parts by comparison
(SCHNEIDER 2008)
Component
part
Processes under legal
protection since
Remarks
Jasmund 1990 steep coast has never been exploited,
256 ha since 1960
Serrahn 1990 70 ha free of use since 1957
Grumsin 1990
Hainich 1997 subterritories free of use since 1965
Kellerwald 1990, partly 1999 partly for decades, steep slopes have never
been exploited
results of the integrated enviromental monitoring
and from a wealth of area-specifi c
single measure ments.
Old forest sites
Th e fi ve component parts of the extension
nomination are verifi ably old forest sites
– with restrictions in the case of Serrahn
(GLASER & HAUKE 2004). Old forest
sites are characterised by an age-long continuous
forest tradition. Th is forest continuity
has guaranteed the characteristic
edaphic diversity (ASSMANN 1994,
WULF 1994) notwithstanding the periods
of partly utilisation. Only the smallest
of areas were temporarily inhabited during
the last millennia, which is evidenced by
objects found at settlement sites (shards and
other objects) and historical documents (e.g.
for Dachsberg in Grumsin, LUTHARDT
et al. 2004). Due to the rather negligible
historic impact, cultural history makes itself
felt only at a local level, for example by evidence
for soil cation depletion.
Component
part
Number of
surveys
Average degree of
naturalness [%]
Naturalness of beech forests
A fi rst comparative appraisal of the degree of
naturalness of all nominated component parts
applying a both ecological and monitoringcompatible
methodology (BUCHEN-
WALDINSTITUT in BUBLITZ 2005
and SCHNEIDER 2008) is available
to some extent. Degrees of naturalness were
rated on a one-hectare sample area according
to precisely defi ned features specifi c for
natural and / or primeval beech forests,
with the primary parameters being population
structure, dynamics, and dead wood
quantities (SCHNEIDER 2008). According
to this, an assessed area can meet a
maximum of 27 criteria for primeval forests.
Th e natural beech forest on the island of
Vilm (Rügen) can be used as a national
“reference area” that meets 100% of the
criteria, but is precluded from nomination
due to its small area size and isolation.
Th e highest degrees of naturalness determined
(tab. 4.2) are evidence of the outstanding
ecological value of the old beech
forests within the German component parts.
Degree of naturalness
highest value [%]
Jasmund 12 59.00 96.30
Serrahn 3 72.80 74.10
Grumsin 7 38.10 55.60 (60 – 70)
Hainich 19 69.40 92.60
Kellerwald 20 66.10 96.30