EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

106 NOMINATION DOSSIER "ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
The outstanding inventory
of beech forest indicator
species in the German
component parts is evidence
of their integrity.
Grey-headed Woodpecker
(Picus canus)
Tab. 4.3: Average number of
standing trees and high stumps
with microhabitats per ha, data
obtained from three nominated
component parts
* 1 no data available
* 2 high fraction of old peeling
damage (former game reserve)
– microhabitat on dead wood
not determined due to lack of
ecological significance
Completeness of the beech forest
indicator species
Over 50% of the beech forest indicator
species as defi ned by FLADE (1994) and
SCHUMACHER (2006) are found in
each of the nominated component parts (tab.
4.4, cf. chapter 2a). As many as 9 of the 12
species indicative of lowland beech forests
already breed in Serrahn, which means that
the spectrum of indicator species is largely
complete. All breeding bird indicator species
could actually be detected in Kellerwald.
Th e outstanding inventory of indicator species
found in the component parts is an
expression of these forests being largely intact.
Th is is because indicator species can only
exist when having their specifi c needs met by
the beech forest. For this reason, indicator
species monitoring is a crucial variable in
proving the persistent integrity of the nominated
component parts (see Indicators
chapter 6).
Developmental perspectives
Due to their relic character, deciduous forests
and consequently near-natural beech forests
rank among the most endangered forest
ecosystems in the world. Th e endangerment
Serrahn Grumsin Kellerwald
living
trees
Average number of standing trees and high stumps with microhabitats per ha:
bark pockets 2.4 13.5 5.2 8.1 1.6 –
bark damage (> 10 cm in length) 22.9 – 32.0 – 122.4*2 –
wood and tree fungi 0.6 *1 0.1 *1 1.1 1.9
stem / branch or woodpecker hole 13.0 10.0 7.9 0 19.7 1.4
slime fl ux / necroses 23.5 *1 8.7 *1 12.1 –
open cracks / clefts / lightning shakes (> 50 cm in length) 0.6 0.6 9.3 0.6 2.2 0
covers of moss / leaf / fruticose lichen *1 *1 *1 *1 8.4 0.7
dead wood fraction (more than one-third of the tree) 0.6 – 1.1 – 0.3 –
root collar hole (below 0.5 m) *1 *1 *1 *1 7.1 0.7
stem breakage 24.1 – 12.6 – *1 *1
dead
wood
is mainly a consequence of the historical
forestry use. It was not until recently that
nature conservation has increasingly been
taken into account through the introduction
of natural silvicultural methods. However,
silvicultural practice and even many
protected stands still lack in consistently
integrated protection concepts. For this
reason, large and mature beech forests characterised
by old and dead wood are downright
scarce. Th e popu lation of strictly
protected near-natural beech forests is frag-
living
trees
dead
wood
living
trees
dead
wood