Preparation of the National Park Plan - Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald

1. Nature Protection
1.1. Preservation of a typical central European,
mainly forested, low mountain range landscape
National parks are, according to nature protection laws, the
most effective way of protecting large areas of natural or nearnatural
landscape. In the densely populated landscapes of
central Europe, heavily influenced by human use, unspoilt and
unfragmented areas of nature have become rare. The forested
area of the inner Bavarian Forest along the Bavarian-Czech
border is one of the few landscapes which can still be regarded
as near-natural. This was also the reason for creating the first
German national park in the Bavarian Forest in 1970 and
extending it in 1997. The prime objective of the Bavarian Forest
National Park is therefore to preserve this characteristic low
mountain range landscape, with its natural and near-natural
ecosystems, as a representative part of the nation’s natural
heritage and to retain its essential character.
CONCEPT AND OBJECTIVES 11
The Honey Buzzard - a rare bird
of prey in this area - hunts its prey
on the ground
(Photo: Rainer Simonis)
1.2. Protection of the natural forest development,
undisturbed by people
According to the national regulations (Federal Law on
Protection of Nature, Bavarian Law on Protection of Nature,
National Park Ordinance) and international requirements
(Habitats Directive, Birds Directive, IUCN Guidelines) the
first priority of the Bavarian Forest National Park should be to
protect the natural dynamic of the ecosystems (protection of
natural processes). This means that, in the long term, at least
three quarters of the forested area should be allowed to develop
without human interference. Only in the border area of the
national park will there be intervention in the natural
development for the protection of forests bordering the park
and also in the visitor attractions such as the animal enclosures.
If forest regeneration in the high altitude areas is patchy or
delayed, support should be given to the development of
appropriate natural vegetation. In the Falkenstein-Rachel area,
natural forest development is being carried out on 75% of the
area during a transition period lasting until 2027.