EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

Th e more natural a beech forest, the more
complete its development cycle as a result
of the formation of ecosystems that it has
shaped over the last millennia. Th e smallscale
endogenous rhythm in the beeches’
cycle of growth and decay as well as the
seasonal rhythm allows for the formation
of mosaics of rather sunny and shady as
well as richly structured areas, to which the
variegated fauna and fl ora that is characteristic
of Central Europe has adapted.
Th erefore, only a complete development
cycle can illustrate the entire functional and
biological diversity of a beech forest.
Each of the nominated component parts
features old beech populations with trees of
more than 160 years of age. With between
300 und 640 m 3 / ha depending on the
dominant development phase, the living wood
pools are consequently large. Th e dead wood
pools of the properties correlate with how
long they have been left unmanaged. Dead
wood volumes are already above average in
all of the component parts, which also show
analogous increases in dead wood. Th ese
extensive dead wood pools are an important
element in the ecosystem formation of
beech forests. Th e persistent generation of
dead wood, which already sets in on the
living tree up to standing and lying mighty
dead wood stems, is an essential prerequisite
to preserving the integrity and biodiversity
of the nominated property. It is guaranteed
in all component parts. With their primeval
forest relic species, they are already
capable of illustrating the biodiversity of a
beech forest almost to its entirety and undisturbed
ecological processes.
Natural regeneration is assisted by the nominated
component parts being embedded in
major forest conservation areas and – with
the exception of Jasmund (island position)
– in large-scale forest landscapes. For
example, Hainich and Kellerwald are part
of the eponymous landscapes that comprise
4. STATE OF CONSERVATION AND FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROPERTY
several ten thousand hectares of forest. Aided
by the World Heritage nomination process
as well as ongoing major nature conservation
projects and eff orts towards protected
areas, this off ers the opportunity
to repopulate the areas with typical large
mammals and / or predators that require
ample territories.
Diversifi ed microhabitats
Microhabitats lend detailed structure to the
body of a tree. Microhabitats may be of
both abiotic (e.g. wind breakage) and biotic
(e.g. woodpeckers, insects, fungi) origin.
Being starting points for dieback processes
within the forest's life cycle, they generally
play a decisive role in infl uencing the biodiversity
of the beech forest ecosystem.
Moreover, microhabitats are essential biotopes
for a host of forest-dwelling organisms
(WINTER & MÖLLER 2008).
With 103 microhabitats per ha and 19 different
types, biodiversity-promoting structures
on individual trees such as crown,
stem, and crotch breakages, fungal pads,
hollow trunks, bark pockets, and root wads
are found in numbers in the subterritory
of Serrahn, which has been left unmanaged
for 50 years (WINTER 2005). With 85
microhabitats per ha, there are almost as
many structures in the lowland beech
forests of Grumsin. With some 150 microhabitats
per ha, the submontane nominated
property of Kellerwald is likewise home
to a signifi cant number of microhabitats
(tab. 4.3). After a period of absence from use
of up to 40 years, such structures are also
found in Hainich in markedly higher proportions
as opposed to managed forests. By
comparison, studies conducted in 12 managed
beech forests of more than 120 years age
revealed only half as many microhabitats on
average (46). Th us, microhabitats are structures
typical of forests that are free of use.
The high level of naturalness
of the German component
parts stand for
biodiversity and integrity.
A higher-than-average
number of biodiversity-promoting
microhabitats identifi
es the old-growth beech
forests of the German component
parts as being free
of use.
Nationale
Naturlandschaften
105