EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

108 NOMINATION DOSSIER "ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
All eff orts towards protecting
the nominated component
parts take an ecosystemary
approach and
are geared to preserving
the evolutionary and biological
processes as well as
every facet of the biodiversity
that belongs to natural
and dynamic beech forests.
Natural beech forest Jasmund
4.a.1 Jasmund
Status
2,120 ha of the national park area (3,003 ha)
are woodland, most of which being beech
forests. Th e nominated component part has
an area of 492.5 hectares. 76% of the forest
area of the nominated component part is
populated with pure beech forests. Mixed
beech forests containing high-value timber
tree species or pure high-value timber
tree forests are concentrated along the brook
valleys and hill feet of the chalk coast.
Th e beech forests on the Stubnitz plateau
are characterised by closed populations of
about 150 years of age. Structures and the
dead wood portion have increased in consequence
of the non intervention management
policy. A diff erentiated vertical spatial
structure is found in the mixed forests
populating the slopes of the brook valleys,
and, fi rst and foremost, in the primeval
forests on the chalk coasts that give distinction
to the area. Together with the natural
forest cell “Schlossberg”, they represent the
most natural and valuable areas.
Important indicator species resident in the
property are Green Woodpecker (Picus
viridis), European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula
hypoleuca), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus
sibilatrix), and Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus
martius).
Trend
Under conditions of strict non-intervention
policy the natural structure of the beech
forest will be further enhanced. In addition,
starting from the old-growth forests and
the primeval forest relics on the steep slopes
the expansion of species of the stage of late
maturity will be further supported. Natural
rejuvenation will extensively proceed as a
result of the game density being drastically
scaled down with the implementation of the
management plan.