EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

NOMINATION DOSSIER ANNEX 7.2.5
"ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Thuringian Law on the Hainich National
Park (ThürNPHG)
§1
Establishment of the National Park
A national park is being established in the Hainich between Kammerforst in the north,
Behringen in the south, Bad Langensalza in the east and Mihla in the west. The name of the
national park will be the "Hainich National Park".
§2
Area of the National Park
The National Park has a surface area of approx. 7 600 ha. The borders and the extent of the
National Park in terms of area are shown outlined by a continuous red line in the protected
areas map, consisting of map sheets numbered 1 and 2 on a scale of 1:10000. The inside
edge of the line demarcating the National Park is the boundary line. The map described in
sentence 2 is an integral part of the Law and is kept in the offices of the President of the
State Parliament and retained in the archives. Copies of the map are kept by the District
Administrator's Offices of the Unstrut-Hainich district and the Wartburg district and by the
National Park Administration; the map can be viewed there by anyone during office hours.
For a more precise documentation of the plots of land forming the outer boundary of the
National Park, the list of the adjoining plots to the National Park (including descriptions where
the boundary runs through plots of land) in the map according to sentence 2 is enclosed as
an appendix.
If there are any doubts about details of the demarcation, this shall not affect the surface area
in question.
§3
Protection Aim
(1) The National Park has been established to keep the southern part of the Hainich as free
from human influences as possible in order to maintain the diversity, the special character
and outstanding beauty of the large continuous area of natural mixed deciduous forests of
the Hainich, which is unique in Central Europe, the habitats of its varied animal and plant
population and the dynamics of the communities made up by these species, to ensure a
natural development and to keep adverse effects at bay. The aim of the establishment of the
National Park, in particular, is to secure and create a largely undisturbed process in which
nature can continue, and to maintain and regenerate natural forestry stocks. The National
Park also serves to provide an environmentally friendly form of relaxation close to nature, to
1