EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

and LeGoff (1992) once presented a source of inspiration for the typical components
of the Gothic architecture (arboreal Gothic) during the Middle Ages despite the lack
of dramatic geomorphological features. Citing numerous historical sources, they argue
that respected spiritual, cultural and behind-the-scenes medieval leaders such as Suger,
Abbott of St. Denise, St. Bruno (founder of the Carthusian monastic order), were
indeed inspired by the inner appearance of European primeval forest among other
things.
− Paragraphs 91, 94: Korpeľ (1989) and others established 30 ha as the minimum area to
secure the functioning of autoregulation, homeostasis and autoreproduction of
monodominant beech primeval forests in their entirety, based on his research in the
Carpathian beech primeval forests. The nominated properties exceed that size
considerably, include all developmental stages (stage of growing up, the optimum
stage and the stage of decay), feature a relatively constant proportion of the area taken
by the respective developmental cycle stages across the primeval forest and manifest
limited, approximately 30 % deviations in the standing volume within comparatively
small segments (30−50 ha). The series spans the altitudinal range from 330 to
2061 m a.s.l. and the corresponding temperature and precipitation gradients (see Map
Annex 5). It covers all slope aspects, various slope gradients – from steep to almost
flat relief, a broad range of bedrock (cristalline, limestone, flysh, andezite), a wide
spectrum of soil types (Dystric Cambisols, Eutric Cambisols, Rendzic Cambisols,
Podsols, rare Andosols) and soil depths (from shallow soils on limestone ridges to
deep soils on moderate flysh slopes). It ensues that the serial nomination contains all
necessary elements to demonstrate key aspects of processes that are essential for the
long term conservation of the beech primeval forests and their biological diversity.
− Paragraphs 91, 95: The nominated series of beech primeval forests makes up an
invaluable genetic pool of European beech and organisms bound to European beech
forest habitatsogeographic province (e. g. Rosalia alpina), as well as those not
restricted to a particular tree species. Perhaps contradicting the general perception,
populations of brown bear (Ursus arctos), lynx (Lynx lynx) and wolf (Canis lupus) as
big carnivores are not even bound to primeval forests in the strict sense but easily
survive in extensive and relatively wild semi-natural and managed forests. Other types
of habitats characteristic of mixed forests and organisms bound to tree species other
than European beech (e. g. capercaillie) are represented in sites that have already been
inscribed on the list of world natural heritage.
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