Location: Bavaria Map
Area: 240 km2
Bavarian Forest National Park (Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald) is locate in Bavaria region of Germany. Bavarian Forest National Park covers an area of 240 km2. Along with natural bio reserve on the side of the Czech Republic it comprises one of the largest continuous stretch of forest. Created in 1970, it was the first national park in Germany. Bavarian Forest is one of the few pristine virgin expanses from a massive Hercynian Forest that served as a natural boundary between the Roman Empire and Germanic tribes. The most popular time to visit Bavarian Forest National Park is usually in the summer months. It contains a hiking trail network with a total length of 186 miles or 300 kilometres and cycling paths with a total length of 124 miles or 200 kilometres. However winter period is just good as well. There are numerous trails available for cross- county skiing (total length of 50 miles or 80 kilometres), snowshoeing and other activities.
Open: March- Oct: 10am- 4pm daily
July-Aug: 9am- 4:45pm daily
Jan- March: 12- 2pm Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat
Admission fee: €5.50
Silberberg Mine is located about 2 km South East of
Bodenmais within boundaries of Bavarian Forest National Park.
Mining in the Silberberg (Silver mountain) began in the early
14th century (1311 or 1313). More than 60 different minerals and
metals were mined here. Over centuries the underground system
was expanded and improved. This mine was finally abandoned in
1962 and today it is open to the public. You can get to the
bottom in the mountain and take a cable car to the top at the
elevation of 955 meter (3,133 feet). You can take a hike that
might take between an hour and two hours. There is also a
petting zoo and children's playground near the entrance of the
main mine.
A long 600 meter Barbara gallery leads
tourists inside the mountain. The temperature gradually
decreases and becomes fairly cool so taking warm clothes with
you is important throughout a year. Eventually you reach a large
hall called "Großer Barbaraverhau". Many mining tools and
machines were left inside the galleries so you can trace their
evolution.
Weißenstein Castle is stands on a 758 meter high quartz rock in the district of Regen in Bavarian Forest. It was constructed in the 12th century by Earls von Bogen. After the family have died out it was sold to the Bavarian dukes. The citadel was badly damaged during the Thirty Years' War in 1633 by the maraudering Swedish troops.
The national park stretches along the
main ridge of the Bavarian Forest from the Großer Falkenstein (1305
m) in the northwest over the Großer Rachel (1453 m) to the Lusen
(1373 m) in the southeast.
According to the structure of the
main natural spatial units of Germany, it belongs to the rear
Bavarian Forest in the Upper Palatinate-Bavarian Forest group.
The national park is located in eastern Bavaria in the districts
of Regen and Freyung-Grafenau along the border with the Czech
Republic and today covers an area of 24,250 hectares (primeval)
forest landscape in the low mountain range of the Bavarian Forest.
It borders on the communities (from north to south): Bayerisch
Eisenstein, Zwiesel, Lindberg, Frauenau, Spiegelau, Sankt
Oswald-Riedlhütte, Neuschönau, Hohenau and Mauth. Part of the
national park is located on the territory of the respective
municipalities, and sometimes it is community-free areas.
In
the national park area, especially on the edges, there are many
enclaves:
Zwieslerwaldhaus at the foot of the Großer
Falkenstein, belongs to the municipality of Lindberg.
Schleicher
and Kreuzstraßl belong to Lindberg.
Neuhütte and Jägerfleck near
Spiegelau
Guglöd, belongs to Sankt Oswald-Riedlhütte
Waldhäuser am Lusen, belongs to Neuschönau, the largest enclave of
the national park
Altschönau, belongs to Neuschönau.
Sagwasser-Säge and Weidhütte, a coherent functional enclave that is
connected to the rest of the country, but can only be reached via a
road in the national park, belongs to Hohenau.
Glashütte, belongs
to Hohenau.
There are also a few other enclaves, but they only
include one or more small properties. These numerous enclaves,
especially in the old area, mean that the border there is very long
and the edge zone, in which bark beetle control is allowed,
protrudes far into the interior of the park (see below for more
details).
The Bavarian Forest forms the
southwestern edge of the very old basement area of the Bohemian
Massif. Together with the Black Forest and the Vosges it forms the
central area of the Central European Variscan Mountains. Their
unfolding began in the Devonian geological age 416 million years
ago, but was eroded into a low mountain range in the following ages.
It was raised again as part of the Alpidic orogeny 100 million years
ago (Earth Age Chalk).
The parent rocks are therefore
paragneiss and crystal granites, which are mostly deeply weathered.
The areas between Bayerisch Eisenstein and the Rachelsee consist of
gneiss. Some granite deposits are scattered throughout the area.
In the ice ages (3 million to 13,000 years before today) the
high elevations of the mountains were glaciated.
In
accordance with this initial situation, strongly acidic brown soils,
podsols and podsol brown soils dominate in the national park area.
Small areas of brown earth are associated with raw soils and
tendrils in the steep elevations.
The Bavarian Forest lies on the border between the maritime climate of Western Europe and the continental climate of Eastern Europe. Partly it is still under the influence of Atlantic westerly winds, partly continental south-east currents already dominate here. In summer the area is often on the eastern flank of western high pressure areas. Bad weather fronts approaching from the west and moist air from the Mediterranean area accumulate on the mountain ridge that extends from northwest to southeast. This leads to maximum precipitation in July and December / January. In winter the area is often under the influence of continental high pressure areas. The climate of the inner Bavarian Forest is characterized by cold, snowy winters and short, relatively warm summers. In winter, snow depths of over one meter regularly occur in the high areas, and in extreme cases they can reach three to four meters.
Zonal
vegetation
In the national park, a typical zoning of the forests
can be observed depending on the altitude:
High altitudes
The high altitudes or summit regions, which depending on the
location between 1050 and 1250 m above sea level. NHN are the
coldest with annual mean temperatures of two to five degrees
Celsius. Precipitation ranges from 830 to 2280 mm per year and snow
cover can last seven to eight months. The typical forest community
of the high areas is the mountain spruce forest (Calamagrosti
villosae-Picetum barbilophozitosum). The Norway spruce (Picea abies)
occurs almost exclusively here. The rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia)
and the sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) are scattered to a
small extent. The lower limit of the high-altitude forests is
defined by the distribution limit of the common beech (Fagus
sylvatica).
Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), seven star (Trientalis europaea), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), Pannonian gentian (Gentiana pannonica), forest saddle grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea), blue monkshood (Aconitum napellus), lichen.
The slopes
between 700 and 1150 m above sea level are the climatically most
favorable regions of the national park with annual mean temperatures
of 4.4 to 7.2 degrees Celsius. The annual precipitation is between
830 and 1820 mm, the snow cover only lasts four to five months. Due
to the favorable climatic conditions, mixed mountain forest grows
there, one third of which would consist of red beech (Fagus
sylvatica), silver fir (Abies alba) and Norway spruce (Picea abies)
without human influence. In the list of natural forest communities,
the mixed mountain forest is divided into thorn-fir-beech forest
(Luzulo luzoloides-Fagetum) on the poorer and woodruff beech forest
(Galio odorati-Fagetum) on the richer locations.
As a result
of forestry, the silver fir was pushed back in the mixed mountain
forests from 1850 because of its slow growth rate in favor of the
beech and especially the common spruce. Furthermore, it was also
massively affected by game browsing. Between 1960 and 1990, new
types of forest damage ("forest dieback") also led to a massive loss
of fir trees. This tree species is currently involved in forest
development with less than five percent. However, their share in the
rejuvenation is already nine percent, so that it will play a greater
role in the future.
However, the fir does not taper well in
open spaces such as the bark beetle areas. Here it is exposed to the
risk of radiation frost and is particularly dependent on the spruce,
but also the beech in growth. It depends on the balanced climate
inside the forest. There it can hold out for several centuries in
the under and intermediate conditions, in order to then be able to
quickly grow into the upper class when light is supplied, for
example by the death of an old tree. The prerequisite for this would
be undisturbed forest development and larger stands that are in the
decay stage.
Firs can live up to 600 years and thus live
twice as long as beech and spruce. However, they grow much more
slowly, but can reach heights of over 60 m. A high number of firs is
therefore the prerequisite for the multi-level structure in the
mixed mountain forest, which is desired for ecological reasons.
Since most of the old stands were destroyed due to the intensive
forestry from 1850 to 1970, it will take several tree generations
and therefore centuries of undisturbed forest development until the
level of 1850 is reached again.
Types of herb and shrub layer
(selection)
Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), fox's ragwort (Senecio
ovatus), broad-leaved thorn fern (Dryopteris dilatata), common worm
fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), rib fern (Blechnum spicant),
narrow-leaved willow herb (Epilobium angustiferbolita), alpine
milkweed Turks' Union (Lilium martagon), Mondviole (Lunaria), Spiked
Christopher's herb (Actaea spicata L.), Hare lettuce (Prenanthes
purpurea), Red elder (Sambucus racemosa).
The valley locations are between 600 and 800 m above sea level. The
air flowing off from the higher altitudes accumulates in them, so
that lakes of cold air often form there. The annual rainfall is 1030
to 1630 mm, the average annual temperatures are 3.7 to 6.5 degrees
Celsius and the snow cover lasts between 5 and 6 months. In
particular, the frequent occurrence of early and late frosts and
extensive wet soils mean that the beech and other warmth-loving
deciduous trees cannot survive there. The dominant forest community
is the spruce forest (Calamagrosti villosae-Picetum bazzanietosum),
in which the spruce is the predominant tree species.
Hainsimsen-spruce-fir forest occurs on somewhat drier locations,
where under natural conditions 50% spruce and white fir would grow.
Adjacent tree species in the valleys are sand birch (Betula
pendula), downy birch (Betula pubescens), mountain ash (Sorbus
aucuparia), black alder (Alnus glutinosa), gray or white alder
(Alnus incana), various willow species (Salix), Scots pine (Pinus
sylvestris) ) and mountain pine (Pinus mugo)
Types of herb
and shrub layer (selection)
Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus),
forest riding grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea), ferns, mosses
In addition to the forests, which are graded according to altitude, there are also other vegetation communities at special locations:
In deep gorges such as the Höllbachgspreng there are canyon forests where, in addition to spruce, beech and fir, there are also numerous deciduous trees, including sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), Norway maple (Acer plantanoides), sycamore elm (Ulmus glabra), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), summer linden ( Tilia platyphyllos), winter linden (Tilia cordata), bird cherry (Prunus avium) and the yew (Taxus baccata).
Under cold and damp conditions, large amounts of rotten plant
material have accumulated in the valley basins affected by cold air
as well as in some plateau and saddle areas, which could not be
completely broken down due to the short vegetation periods. Over the
centuries, meter-high layers of peat formed, which became
increasingly isolated from the ground and surface water. The water
supply in these raised bogs can only come from the very
nutrient-poor rainwater. Very few plants that are well adapted to
these conditions can survive under these conditions. a. Peat moss
(Sphagnum).
Plant species in a typical raised bog of the
Bavarian Forest:
Edge lagg or edge hanging: Spruce bog forest
(Picea abies) with blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), areas further
inward: Mountain pine forest (Pinus mugo) with downy birch (Betula
pubescens), sand birch (Betula pendula), Scots pine (Pinus
sylvatica), mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia), buckthorn (Frangula
alnus), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), lingonberry (Vaccinium
vitis-idaea), bogberry (Vaccinium uliginosum), cotton grass
(Eriophorum), common heather (Calluna vulgaris), rosemary heather
(Andromeda polifolia), Senecio paludosus), swamp louse weed
(Pedicularis palustris), swamp porst (Rhododendron tomentosum).
Bog width: Above all peat moss (Sphagnum), sundew (Drosera), common
cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), bogberry (Vaccinium uliginosum),
downy birch (Betula pubescens), mountain pine (Pinus mugo, often
crippled), dwarf birch (Betula nana).
Many moors have been
drained and peat has been extracted over the centuries. After
placing it under protection, the national park administration is
trying to renaturalize and rewet these valuable habitats, but with
varying degrees of success.
In the forest inventory 2002/03 the following tree species composition was found in the upper class. It becomes clear that the spruce is represented far more frequently than the potential natural vegetation, while the fir is almost entirely absent.
Many rare animal species have been
preserved in the national park or have been resettled there. These
include rare species such as the lynx (Lynx lynx), European wildcat
(Felis silvestris), beaver (Castor fiber), otter (Lutra lutra), pug
bat (Barbastella barbastellus), Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteini),
and great mouse-eared mouse (Myotis myotis) , just like other
typical inhabitants of the Bavarian Forest. These include the red
deer, of which around two thirds spend the winter in a gate because
they want to avoid excessive browsing damage in the mountain forest.
You can even find moose coming over from the Lipno reservoir in the
Czech Republic.
The last wild lynxes were exterminated in the
Bavarian Forest around 1850. In the 1970s, five to ten lynxes were
released in the area of the national park, and in the 1980s, 17
animals in the then ČSSR in the Bohemian Forest (Šumava). Initially,
the lynx population increased sharply (an estimated 70 to 100
animals). In the period from 1995 to 2008 the lynx population
decreased significantly. There were illegal killings on the Czech
side and also on the Bavarian side.
Brown bears (Ursus
arctos) no longer live in the wild in the national park.
In
2016, a wild wolf couple (Canis lupus) immigrated to the Bavarian
Forest and had young in 2017.
The lack of large predators makes it necessary to regulate the population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) through hunting in order to keep the browsing of forest trees, especially the silver fir, under control. Around two thirds of the red deer are kept in four winter fences, which are surrounded by inaccessible game reserves. Individual specimens are hunted there, but also in other places, in order to avoid increased damage in the surrounding private forests. The red deer are still shy and nocturnal, probably because of the hunting pressure. Nature conservation associations and the national park management have (as of 2004) looked for alternatives. According to the national park administration, the red deer should stay in the lower-lying commercial forests in winter. Winter gates would then be dispensable. However, the proposal failed due to the resistance of the hunting officials and the landowners.
Many rare
bird species live in the national park: capercaillie (Tetrao
urogallus), hazel grouse (Bonasa bonasia), peregrine falcon (Falco
peregrinus), honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), black stork (Ciconia
nigra) and pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum).
The population
of the now very rare capercaillie has steadily declined since 1945
despite all protective measures. At that time 250 birds were
counted, in 1984 only 16. Between 1982 and 2000 534 capercaillies
were released into the wild. Nevertheless, the population has hardly
increased. In 2005, the population in the entire national park was
estimated at 23 to 30 chickens. There may be more capercaillies in
the Šumava National Park. The cause of the decline is not entirely
clear; Actually, the varied landscape with a high proportion of
border lines should appeal to the birds. They may be very disturbed
by the tourists' dogs running freely.
So far, over 1,800 species of beetles have been recorded in the national park, including 14 “primeval forest relic species”, very rare insects such as the billy goat (Tragosoma depsarium), which only occur in near-natural forests rich in dead wood.
Rare and
endangered plant species that occur in the national park are:
Pannonian gentian (Gentiana pannonica), mountain soldanelle
(Soldanella montana), blue tarant (Swertia perennis), forest grove
(Luzula sylvatica), multi-part moon rue (Botrychium multifidum) ,
Green Koboldmoss (Buxbaumia viridis) and Green Besenmoos (Dicranum
viride).
40% of the mosses found in Germany are distributed
in the Bavarian Forest National Park.
Over 2000
species of mushrooms have been identified in the national park.
Forest and nature conservation history
In the period of the
older Dryas (11,490-11,400 BC) the mountains of the Bavarian Forest
were covered by tundra vegetation, if not glaciated. Only towards
the end of this period do pollen analyzes show the emergence of
shrub vegetation made up of juniper (Juniperus) and low willow
species (Salix).
In the Alleröd Interstadial (11,400-10,730
BC), light birch (Betula) and pine forests (Pinus) dominated and
became thicker over time. Herb vegetation declined.
In the
Younger Dryas (10.730–9700 BC) late glacial herbaceous meadows
developed again under a sparse pine forest with interspersed birches
and junipers.
In the Preboreal (9700-8690 BC) pollen analyzes
show a closed pine forest with birch and poplar trees (Populus).
There was a mass spread of the hazelnut (Corylus avellana). The
herbaceous vegetation that needed light and the junipers declined.
During this period there was a slow immigration of Norway spruce
(Picea abies), elm (Ulmus), oak (Quercus) and alder (Alnus).
Initially, these only had a small share in the forest structure.
In the Boreal (8690–7270 BC) the pine and birch forests were
pushed back in lower elevations by mixed oak forests of oak, elm,
linden (Tillia), hazelnut and in the higher areas by spruce forests.
In the middle of the boreal, the hazelnut spread reached its peak,
after which this shrub steadily declined. The alders spread over
large areas in the floodplains of the valley.
The humid and warm Atlantic (7270–3710 BC) forms the Holocene climatic optimum.
In the now tightly closed forests of the valley
and hillside areas, mixed oak forests of oak, linden, elm and ash
(Fraxinus) predominated. Pine and birch fell. The hazelnut still
played a significant role in the development of the forest, but also
steadily declined in the course of the Atlantic. Above 900 meters,
the mixed oak forest was pushed back by the spruce.
In the
second half of the Atlantic, the common beech (Fagus sylvatica)
immigrated and displaced the mixed oak forest, especially linden and
elm. The canopy was now so tightly closed that the herbaceous
vegetation receded again. In the Bavarian Forest beech and spruce
forests dominated, above 1050 meters almost pure spruce forests.
During this period the silver fir (Abies alba) first appeared
sporadically. Now warmth-loving shrubs and trees such as elder
(Sambucus), ivy (Hedera helix), mistletoe (Viscum) and the European
yew (Taxus baccata) appeared.
Pollen analyzes show that in
the warm and humid period of the late Atlantic, the fir in the
Bavarian Forest expanded at the expense of the spruce, while the
proportion of the beech did not change. In contrast to the current
period, there were dense spruce-fir-beech forests in the higher
elevations, with the red beech noticeably and the fir only slightly
receding compared to the conditions in the lower elevations.
In the slopes and valleys there were beech-fir forests without
spruce. The latter tree species was pushed back on extremely wet and
poor soils in the valleys. Elm, linden, ash, hazelnut and maple only
grew on special locations such as ravines. Oak trees were only found
below 500 meters. Relatively high proportions of pine pollen show
that back then, as an Ice Age relic, there were probably much larger
pine bushes (Pinus mugo) in the highest elevations than today. The
hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) also appeared in the Bavarian Forest for
the first time. However, it always had only a very small share in
the development of the forest.
In the
post-warming period, the subboreal (3750-450 BC), the climate
deteriorated, it became colder and drier (more continental). The
Norway spruce (Picea abies) now spread more at the expense of the
beech and fir.
At the beginning of the subatlantic (450 BC to
the present day) the fir had a larger share at all altitudes than in
1850, the beginning of modern forestry.
In the following
centuries the proportion of fir and beech trees slowly declined in
favor of spruce. Particularly since the Little Ice Age around 1300,
the recent tree species distribution described in the Ecology
chapter has emerged.
The causes of the tree species sequence
described were, on the one hand, climate changes. The successive
immigration of different tree species also played an important role.
Climatic conditions allowed a larger number of tree species to grow.
Among these, the most competitive prevailed. In the Bavarian Forest
it was the fir, beech and spruce, while other species such as oak,
which could also grow in this area, were displaced.
At the turn of the ages Celtic population groups lived in
Lower Bavaria on the Danube, but the Bavarian Forest, referred to by
the Romans as the Herkynischer Wald, was a completely deserted
forest wilderness.
This is also shown by pollen analyzes.
Since the subboreal pollen of the plantain plantain (Plantago
lanceolata) has been found in the bogs, but no grain pollen
whatsoever. The former were blown over 50 km from the long-settled
Danube plain. Grain pollen, on the other hand, does not fly that
far. They could only be detected in medieval horizons.
In the Middle Ages - advancing eastwards from the Danube - the clearing and reclamation of the outer and inner Bavarian Forest, now known as the northern forest, began by Christian monks. The Niederaltaich monasteries were established in 741, Rinchnach in 1011, Gotteszell in 1286 and St. Oswald in 1396. Further clearings were made on the trade routes to Bohemia. Some villages were founded with the necessary infrastructure for the traders, such as taverns, saddleries and farriers. “This first settlement activity had created clearing islands in the sea of forests, but it did not change the substance of the forest.” Due to the need for firewood and construction wood, the huge wood stocks were by far not fully used even in the vicinity of the few human settlements.
In the 13th century the Bavarian dukes and later electors settled glassmakers. This took place first in the outer and in the 15th century also in the inner Bavarian Forest. The raw materials in the form of wood and quartz needed for glass production were in abundance. Most places in today's national park region owe their creation to the glassworks, including Riedlhütte, Neuschönau and Weidhütte. The glassworks forest in the vicinity of the glassworks was used intensively. However, only the logs that were well suited for processing and transport were removed, so that there were no complete clear cuts. If the usable forest in the vicinity of a glassworks was used up, it was simply relocated to another location. It was not possible to transport wood over long distances. Potash to lower the melting temperature of the glass was obtained by Koehler in forests further away, as it could be easily transported. Around 1850, the beginning of modern forestry, only border forests were left in a somewhat natural state. These later formed the national park.
From 1850 the
rights of the glassworks owners were replaced and the forests of the
Bavarian Forest were managed for forestry purposes. The forests in
the valleys were completely felled, the soil drained and converted
into spruce plantations. On the slopes, the method of plenter and
femel fell was initially practiced, where some trees were left
standing as hoppers. At this point in time, however, most of the
young, regrowing fir trees were removed as part of the so-called
"pre-growth pattern", so that their proportion decreased
considerably. The actual mountain locations were still used
relatively little. To remove the wood, the mountain streams were
straightened and so-called Klausen, i.e. reservoirs, were created.
At the time of the spring floods, they were drained so that the
water level was sufficient to float large trunks into the valley
(Trift). Most of these clauses are still preserved. They form an
insurmountable barrier for migratory fish.
Around 1900, the
so-called pure soil yield theory prevailed in Bavarian forestry.
After that, the remaining jungle-like stocks were excess stocks,
which had long been "unproductive" due to their growth behavior.
According to this teaching, the goal had to be to cut down such
stands as quickly as possible and replace them with rapidly growing
spruce stands. That was also decided in 1910. Between 1910 and 1950,
almost all of the remaining primeval forest remnants of the mountain
and hillside locations were de facto destroyed using the
deforestation method. Only from 1950 did they return to the
Saumfemelschlag. At that time, forests over 100 years only took up
21.6% of the area of the later national park.
The last
brown bear in the Bavarian Forest was shot in 1833, the last wolf in
1846 and the last lynx in 1850. Originally hardly any deer and roe
deer lived in the later national park area. These were only promoted
for hunting purposes from 1850 through winter feeding and the
extermination of the great predators. As a result, the browsing load
of forest trees, especially the silver fir, increased and
significantly hindered their regeneration.
Towards the end of the 19th century it became apparent that the majestic, wild high forests of the Bavarian Forest with their huge tree specimens, which Adalbert Stifter described in his novels, would be a thing of the past in the foreseeable future. For the first time it was demanded that at least some particularly striking remains of the primeval forest should be preserved. The Höllbachgspreng was therefore placed under protection as early as 1914, the Mittelsteighütte primeval forest area in 1939 and the Hans-Watzlik-Hain with its huge silver fir trees in 1950.
The first demands for the establishment of a large nature reserve in the Bavarian Forest appeared as early as 1911 in the Lower Bavarian monthly magazines. At the end of the 1930s / beginning of the 1940s, the plans for the creation of a national park, of which Lutz Heck was one of the proponents, were well advanced, but had to be postponed due to the war. It was not until 1966 that these plans were renewed on the initiative of Bernhard Grzimek and the Bund Naturschutz in Bayern under Hubert Weinzierl. The Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture and the State Forestry Administration initially had concerns. In the press as well as on radio and television, sometimes heated discussions began about the meaning and character of the project.
On September 6, 1967, the official founding meeting of the
association for the promotion of the Bavarian Forest National Park
project took place in Grafenau. On June 11, 1969, the Bavarian State
Parliament unanimously decided to establish the Bavarian Forest
National Park in the Rachel-Lusen area. The old national park had a
size of 13,229 hectares. On November 2, 1969, the Bavarian Forest
National Park Office began its work in Spiegelau. It was
ceremoniously opened in Neuschönau on October 7, 1970 by Minister of
State Hans Eisenmann.
Even after the establishment of the
national park, forestry was initially permitted in a reduced form
for years. The aim was to create and maintain a forest suitable for
the location with a stable, stepped structure, the conversion of all
non-location-appropriate forest parts and the removal of foreign
tree species such as the Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).
Existing remains of the jungle should be preserved. The harvest age
was no longer based on the maximum income, but on the maximum
physical age and the health of the trees. Endangered and rare tree
species such as the silver fir were to be promoted. However, the new
types of forest damage ("forest dieback") led to an incremental
depression and a further decline in this tree species, which is very
sensitive to sulfur dioxide. The large combustion plant ordinance
made it possible to significantly reduce sulfur dioxide emissions in
the late 1980s. Therefore, the growth performance and vitality of
the silver fir began to increase again during this time and has now
reached the level before the forest dieback.
In 1983 the
timber industry was stopped in a reserve area in the interior of the
national park with an area of 6,500 ha. In 1992, according to the
new National Park Ordinance, regular forestry was completely ended.
Trees infested by bark beetles may only be felled in a 500 m wide
border strip to protect the adjacent commercial forests.
When a thunderstorm on August 1,
1983 and another storm in November of the same year felled around
70,000 cubic meters of wood, Minister Hans Eisenmann decided not to
intervene in the natural forest development in the new reserve
areas. A "primeval forest for our children and grandchildren" should
be created. Even in extreme events such as storm throws and bark
beetle infestation, the natural development continues.
In the
mid-1980s and early 1990s, violent storms led to numerous other wind
breaks, which suddenly created favorable living conditions for the
printer (Ips typographus) belonging to the bark beetle subfamily.
This is a dreaded forest pest that had already attacked large areas
in the Bavarian Forest in earlier centuries. In the following years,
the printer population increased so much that even healthy, standing
spruce fell victim to the severe infestation. Individual “bug holes”
widened and finally merged into large fronts.
In the years
from 1995 to 2005, between 367 and 827 hectares of spruce forest
area were infested by the bark beetle. In the meantime, the focus of
mass reproduction has been exceeded in the old area. However, the
old spruce trees in the high-altitude forest have almost completely
died. In the mixed mountain forest areas around the beetle fronts
and in the more local “beetle holes”, the spruce trees have died
selectively, while beech and, more rarely, silver fir are left over
and are now using the improved light.
The mass increase of
the book printer (Ips typographus) was favored in the 1990s by
several warm years. Since 1995 there have been days with
temperatures above 20 degrees in the high elevations every year in
April and May, so that the printer could swarm out. Only this early
swarming time enables several generations of beetles to form in one
summer and thus mass reproduction. This development is certainly
related to global warming. It is possible that the spruce trees were
also weakened by new types of forest damage and thus predisposed to
attack.
In parts of the population, the inaction ordered by the national
park administration met with incomprehension; the neighboring forest
farmers feared for their own, economically used stock. Others, on
the other hand, saw the bark beetle as a helper to transform
commercial forests with susceptible monocultures into strong mixed
forests, the best precaution against future infestation. After the
old coniferous forest cultures were largely dead, the numbers of
bark beetles decreased significantly and in many places regrowing
mountain ash, spruce and beech trees have formed a young forest.
These new trees had already reached a height of 70 cm in 2004
(September 2015: up to 4–5 m in the ridge layers; partly gaps and
depending on the occurrence of older, seed-forming spruce trees that
are still alive; in the lower areas the young forest is much denser
and the beech seems to gain significantly in area compared to the
spruce).
There are several associations in the Bavarian
Forest in which national park opponents and national park supporters
have come together. Since it has become apparent that the dead
forest is rejuvenating and tourism has not been affected, the number
of critics of the national park administration has declined.
Forests of medium and higher latitudes
show a particularly high susceptibility to climate change.
Accordingly, global warming is already having a significant impact
on the Bavarian Forest.
In 2018, the mean monthly temperature
in April was already 4 ° C warmer than 45 years ago. As a
consequence of the rise in temperature and the lack of
precipitation, massive spruce death can be observed. The trees
weakened by the drought stress are susceptible to the bark beetles,
which multiply rapidly due to the high temperatures, and can no
longer withstand storms.
On July
10, 1997, the national park was enlarged by 10,950 ha (109.5 km²) by
a resolution of the Bavarian State Parliament. Essentially, the
Falkenstein area of the former Zwiesel Forestry Office was added
to the National Park; In addition, some forests near the Frauenau
drinking water reservoir that were previously privately owned: 460
hectares could be acquired from the property of Baron von Poschinger
and 504 hectares were exchanged for the national park from the
property of Baron von Wolffersdorf.
Fearing that the forests
of the Großer Falkenstein will also die out, u. a. Protests against
the extension of the national park. In the affected communities
(Bayerisch Eisenstein, Frauenau, Lindberg and Zwiesel) there were
sometimes violent protests with demonstrations against the planned
extension of the national park to the area of the Regen district,
for example on the town square in Zwiesel on July 1, 1995 with
around 1500 participants . In April 1996 in Frauenau there was a
referendum to extend the national park. 73 percent voted against a
national park extension.
Due to the lack of responsibility of
the municipalities, the expansion by 12,500 hectares was
nevertheless carried out. Due to the protests of the opponents of
the national park, however, in § 14 "High-altitude forest" of the
National Park Ordinance of September 12, 1997 the provision was
included that the high-altitude forest should be preserved in its
substance and function and therefore the expansion of the bark
beetle to the forests of the Avoid high elevations between
Falkenstein and Rachel. As a result of this regulation, the bark
beetle in the extension area is being fought heavily in some cases
by clear-cutting by felling affected spruce trees. In particular,
the use of large machines to transport wood has been criticized by
the Federation of Nature Conservation in Bavaria, among others. The
clear cuts to control bark beetles resulted in "2,000 hectares of
largely treeless, stepped land" in the national park. This
corresponds to 8% of the national park area. From a completely
different point of view, around 100 supporters of the “Citizens'
Movement for the Protection of the Bavarian Forest” illegally
planted 500 spruce seedlings on a bare area between Großem
Falkenstein and Lakaberg as part of a protest against the national
park's bark beetle policy.
At 1,453 m, the Rachel is the highest mountain in the national
park and the second highest mountain in the Bavarian Forest as a
whole (after the Arber at 1,456 m). Mixed mountain forest extends up
to approx. 1150 m and above this limit there is mountain spruce
forest, which has almost completely died off due to bark beetle
infestation. Unlike in the Lusen area, the rejuvenation is
relatively low here. The reason for this is that the high-altitude
forests only died after the spruce was fully fattened in 1995, so
that larger fern and grass facies have already formed, which
hindered the germination of spruce seeds. The larger proportions of
altitudes above 1250 m in the Rachel massif and the predominant
block humus soil make regeneration even more difficult. [34]
The Rachelsee is located at an altitude of 1071 m. It was formed by
a moraine wall after the last ice age. The Rachel Chapel is located
on the Rachelsee wall at a height of 1212 m. There is an ice age
information trail south of Lake Rachel. The original jungle has been
preserved on the east bank of the Rachelsee on the Seewand (former
NSG).
The Rachel can be reached from the hikers' car parks in
Gfall and Racheldiensthütte. You are regularly approached by the
IGEL buses in the summer months, the roads leading to them are
closed to car traffic. Another, considerably longer route leads from
Frauenau to Rachel.
The 1373 m high Lusen is located
in the eastern part of the national park right on the border with
the Czech Republic. Mixed mountain forest extends up to 1250 m,
above which there is mountain spruce forest, which has also died due
to bark beetle infestation. In contrast to the Rachel area,
significantly larger proportions of young spruce are covered, some
of which have reached heights of several meters even in the summit
region. The uppermost summit area of the Lusen is occupied by a
silicate rubble dump. The rocks are overgrown with lichen, v. a.
with the map lichen (Rhizocarpon geographicum). Slightly below the
summit there is a pine bush (Pinus mugo).
The Lusen can be
reached from the Fredebrücke and Lusen hikers' car parks, which are
approached by the IGEL buses. A mountain stream nature trail has
been laid out west of the summit on the Kleine Ohe. Nearby is the
Teufelsloch, a rock rubble slope and the steep summer path that
leads directly to the summit of the Lusen.
The 1315 m high Falkenstein is the highest mountain in the extension
area of the national park. An ascent leads through the
Höllbachgspreng, a steep gorge in which the original gorge forest
has been preserved. In contrast to the old area, the mountain spruce
forests in the Falkenstein massif have not died off except in
windthrow areas (Hurricane Kyrill, 2007).
Primeval forest
areas at the Zwieslerwaldhaus
To the east of the Zwieslerwaldhaus
below the Falkenstein is the 38 hectare Mittelsteighütte primeval
forest area with huge old spruce, fir and beech trees. To the west
of it lies the eleven-hectare Hans-Watzlik-Hain, named after the
ethnic writer Hans Watzlik, with the thick fir tree (also called
Westhütter Tanne), which has a trunk circumference of 6.4 meters and
a height of 52 m. This makes it the strongest tree in the Bavarian
Forest. Their age is estimated to be 600 years. In the
Hans-Watzlik-Hain there are also numerous other large trees of the
species spruce, beech and fir.
Between the Rachel and the Falkenstein near Buchenau there are several shafts and felts, i.e. former forest pastures with many old, isolated trees and moors. The Latschenfilz moorland with a mountain pine moor and the Latschensee is particularly interesting. Nearby are the Kohlschachten and the Große Schachten.
The rocky hiking area near Neuschönau consists of numerous
bizarre rock debris around the mountains Kanzel (1002 m) and Kleine
Kanzel (1011 m). The surrounding forest is so difficult to walk in
that it could only be used for forestry with great difficulty. That
is why many old trees, especially silver firs, have been preserved.
All forest use has been suspended since 1970. In the meantime, the
rocky hiking area has developed a long way back towards the jungle,
the old spruce trees have partly died off due to bark beetle
infestation. A little further north of the rocky hiking area is the
Großalmeyerschloß mountain (1196 m).
Great felt
The Große
Filz is located near Sankt Oswald-Riedlhütte at an altitude of
approx. 750 m (Diensthüttenstraße car park). A boardwalk leads
through the edges of the moor. Spruce bog forest dominates here,
further inside mountain pine forest with dwarf shrubs, common
heather (Calluna vulgaris) and peat moss. The moorland is not
directly accessible, but can be observed from an observation tower.
The aim of the national park is to “let nature be nature”, as stipulated in Section 24 of the BNatSchG. The main area of the national park is to protect nature and thus also the dynamic processes in the forests. In over 11,000 hectares (43 percent of the area), people no longer intervene in the natural process at all. This proportion is gradually being increased to over 75% and thus corresponds to the international requirements for a national park.
To ensure that the natural processes in the national
park do not have any undesirable effects on neighboring areas, the
national park area was divided into zones:
The nature zone
makes up 71.2% of the area of the old area (AG) and 10.3% of the
area of the extension area (EC) (2017: 68% of the total area;
source: Activity Report 2017). Here people no longer intervene at
all, not even in the event of catastrophic events such as wind
breakage and bark beetle infestation. Only the hiking trails are
kept open.
In the peripheral zone (26.5% AG, 16.0% EG), bark
beetle control is taking place permanently to protect the
surrounding forests. Otherwise the edge zone is not used for
silviculture either.
Tourist offers such as national park centers
and animal enclosures are concentrated in the recreation zone. It
accounts for 2.3% of the AG and 1.0% of the EC.
The expansion
zones are only on the ground floor and make up 72.6% there. The
forests are to be gradually left to natural use by 2017. Existing
uses resulting from third party rights (recesses) should be replaced
as quickly as possible. Bark beetle control will remain permissible
until 2027.
The division of the national park into core and
peripheral zones is independent of this. In the core zones, which
mainly include the high elevations, but also the Mittelsteighütte
primeval forest area, the Großer Filz near Riedlhütte and the rocky
hiking area, there are strict trails. In the edge zone, the forest
can also be entered outside the paths.
In
1972 the national park received international recognition from the
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
(IUCN). In 1986 the Council of Europe awarded the category A
European diploma (last extended in 2006 to 2011).
In Germany
only one national park, the Bavarian Forest National Park, was
awarded a Transboundary Park certificate for exemplary cross-border
cooperation with the Czech National Park Šumava in 2009.
The national park administration has around 200
employees, the headquarters are in Grafenau.
Head of the
National Park Administration:
1970–1979 Hans-Heinrich Vangerow
1979–1998 Hans Bibelriether
1998–2011 Karl Friedrich Sinner
since 2011 Franz Leibl
Behavior in the national park
According to the National Park Ordinance, some special rules of
conduct apply to visitors in the National Park:
The marked
paths must not be left in the core areas. Exception: Between July 15
and November 15, the unmarked paths and paths in the core zone may
also be used. Outside the core zone, the forest is freely accessible
all year round.
It is forbidden to let dogs run free.
Tents
and open fires are only allowed in places specifically marked for
this.
Cycling is also only permitted on approved trails.
Riding is prohibited in the national park.
Most roads in the
national park are closed to motor traffic in summer.
It is
forbidden to leave rubbish in the national park.
Noise and loud
music playing is prohibited.
Plants and animals may not be
removed from the national park. Berries and mushrooms can be
harvested for personal use, provided that the road rules are
observed.
The main task of the approx.
30 rangers of the National Park Guard is to enforce the provisions
of the National Park Ordinance, in particular the traffic
restrictions in the core zones, and to ensure that visitors' dogs do
not roam (repressive function). In 2009, the rangers issued 1,851
instructions and filed 118 criminal charges.
They also offer
guided tours and answer questions from tourists. Another task of the
rangers is to check the accessibility of the paths and the safety of
the visitor facilities. They provide first aid in emergencies.
Educational institutions in the national park
National Park
Centers
Lusen National Park Center
On July 5, 1982, Minister of State Eisenmann handed over the
information center near Neuschönau, today the Hans Eisenmann House,
to its intended use. There is an exhibition on the history of the
national park. The treetop path in the Bavarian Forest National Park
as well as an animal, plant and stone outdoor area are located near
the Hans Eisenmann House.
In the animal outdoor area, current
and formerly resident animals such as otters, owls, wild cats,
lynxes, eagle owls, bison, elk, red deer, wild boar, brown bear and
wolf are housed in open enclosures.
The information center “Haus zur Wildnis” of the Bavarian
Forest National Park, built in 2005, and a 65-hectare animal
enclosure are located near Ludwigsthal. Since 2006, animal species
that have become extinct in Central Europe such as wild horses and
primitive cattle (back-breeding) can be observed here, as well as
wolves and lynxes.
Entry to the national park information
centers and the animal open areas is free. However, visitors are not
guaranteed to see all the animals in the extensive enclosures. Fees
are charged for the parking spaces. The national park centers can
also be reached with the IGEL buses.
In the night of Friday,
October 6, 2017, six wolves were released from the enclosure of the
Falkenstein National Park Center near Ludwigsthal. A wolf was killed
that night by a train on the nearby forest railway line. The exact
background was initially unclear. In the meantime there has been
increasing evidence that the gate was manipulated by third parties.
Unfortunately, two of the animals had to be killed because
anesthesia rifles could not be used. A she-wolf padded into one of
the live traps and is back in the enclosure. Because they are less
shy, they are more dangerous to humans than wild wolves. The
exemption under species protection law to catch the two wolves that
were still on the run expired on February 1, 2018. The search for
them has been stopped.
The youth forest home near Neuschönau, which opened in 1974, currently offers 55 places for school classes and youth groups. In addition to its conservation function, the national park also has the task of informing its visitors and especially young people about natural relationships. The youth forest home offers a standard program for children of primary and middle school age. For older children in grades five to eight, an attractive program with hikes (rock hiking area, Lusen, animal open-air area), visits to the Hans Eisenmann House and the treetop path and a national park experience day has been worked out. In the latter, the children should experience with all their senses what wild nature means. You will e.g. For example, you are encouraged to hug a tree blindfolded, to listen to and identify sounds of nature or to paint the different shades of green of the plants. In addition to the standard program, classes and groups can also implement their own projects that they have developed themselves if they have something to do with the national park.
The wilderness camp at Falkenstein
near Zwieslerwaldhaus is operated according to a slightly different
concept than the youth forest home. Overnight stays are in small
groups in themed or country huts. The concept for children and
adolescents consists in the fact that the small groups independently
develop projects during the stay that are thematically related to
the respective overnight hut. The focus here is on experiencing
nature and imparting knowledge about the national park. A stay is
also possible for groups of adults or families.
Teaching and
adventure trails
The following educational and adventure trails
exist in the national park:
Aufichtenwaldsteig near Spiegelau
Treetop path in the Bavarian Forest National Park
Ice Age nature
trail at Rachelsee
Schachten und Filze adventure trail: circular
walk around the Hochschachten, the Latschenfilz with the Latschensee
and the Kohlschachten
Seelensteig on the Großer Rachel near the
Gfung car park: in a typical mixed forest of fir, beech and spruce,
a forest that has not been used for 50 years is being made
accessible in a natural way. Thoughts of important writers on the
forest are communicated in text panels.
Primeval forest adventure
trail in the Hans-Watzlik-Hain near Zwieslerwaldhaus
Forest
history nature trail near Finsterau
Wildbach nature trail on the
Kleine Ohe near Lusen
According to the motto “Understanding nature
by playing”, the forest playground near Spiegelau offers numerous
playgrounds, a nature adventure trail and a forest meadow with
barbecue facilities in a 50-hectare park-like forest area.
Man and forest
In the attitude of people towards the Bavarian
Forest National Park, two diametrically different points of view can
be identified.
Traditional view
According to the
traditional view, which is still shared by many of the region's
older inhabitants, primeval forests are considered to be a dangerous
and threatening wilderness. It stands in absolute opposition to the
values of civilization and must therefore be kept in check.
For centuries, the inhabitants of the Bavarian Forest, called
Waidler, lived from the forest (firewood and construction wood,
glass, potash, hunting, collecting berries and mushrooms, etc.) ,
Bears, lynxes, etc., which in their ideas represented the untamed
wilderness, exterminated. Therefore, the establishment of the
national park and even more the cessation of forestry amounted to a
cultural revolution. For many older residents of the region, the
wild, completely unordered forest is like a "heap of pigs".
Christian ideas such as the commandment "Subdue the earth" also play
an important role in this very religious region.
In the 19th century - inspired by Romanticism -
perspectives appeared for the first time that emphasized the beauty
of the old high forest with its huge ancient trees. The work of the
writer Adalbert Stifter (1805–1868) should be mentioned here in
particular. The following quote comes from a description of the
Bavarian Forest:
“Waldwoge stands behind Waldwoge until one
is the last and cuts the sky. It is great when mountains of clouds
lie in the sky and interrupt this sea of forest with patches of
blue shadow. If you can call a magnificent view of the Alps a lively
lyrical poem, the simplicity of this forest is a measured epic one.
"
Since the wild high forest was reduced more and more by
modern forestry, it now appeared as something valuable and worth
protecting. At the beginning of the 20th century, demands were first
discussed to put these old forests under protection. First of all,
only relatively small protected areas could be designated. When the
national park was established in 1969, most of the primeval forests
had already been destroyed.
The modern view was initially
only represented by a few intellectuals, biologists and ecologists.
It only became a mass phenomenon in the 1980s in the context of the
ecological movement and discussions about forest death. Since 2000,
more and more people have valued wilderness and national parks as a
counterbalance to an over-engineered world. However, in the national
park region itself, many residents still cling to the traditional
ideas of wilderness.
Current developments
This background
perhaps explains the violent reactions in the local population to
the inaction of the national park administration during the massive
bark beetle infestation in the 1990s.
An ordinance was issued
on September 17, 2007, which provides, among other things, that 75
percent of the national park area is to be developed into a nature
zone by 2027. In June 2008, however, a citizens' movement brought a
popular complaint before the Bavarian Constitutional Court. In its
judgment of March 4, 2009, the latter declared the extension of the
natural zone to be compatible with the Bavarian Constitution and the
residual risk of pest infestation among the residents as reasonable.
50th anniversary
Bayerischer Rundfunk took the 50th birthday
of the national park as an opportunity to broadcast a bonus episode
entitled Meditative Forest Sounds to Relax on October 2, 2020 on
Bayern 2 as part of its radioReisen series. It should be emphasized
that the sound recording was made with the help of artificial head
stereophony near Bodenmais on the southern slope of the Großer
Arber. With the help of this procedure, directional localizations
can be carried out. This spatial effect only occurs when headphones
are used. A Sennheiser dummy head was used as the recording device.
The hour of forest life with the twittering of birds, the rustling
of trees and the splashing of the stream is available as a podcast
and can be listened to and downloaded at any time.
According to a study by Hubert Job, 760,000 people visited the
national park in 2007. Of these, 511,000 visitors, i.e. 67%, were
overnight guests, and 249,000, i.e. 33%, day visitors. This makes
the national park the most frequently visited attraction in the
Bavarian Forest as a whole. With the exception of Bodenmais, the
municipalities in the Regen and Freyung-Grafenau districts that are
directly adjacent to the national park have significantly higher
numbers of overnight stays than those further away.
96.1% of
the visitors come from Germany, 3.9% from abroad. 28% of the
recorded visitors, especially the day visitors, come from the
immediate vicinity of the national park.
For 45.8% of
visitors, the existence of the national park plays a large or very
large role in their decision to visit the area. For 54.2% it does
not matter. The proportion of actual national park tourists, for
whom the existence of the park plays an important role, is slightly
higher among overnight guests than among day guests (72% national
park tourists to 63% non-national park tourists among overnight
guests, 28% national park tourists to 37% non-national park tourists
among day visitors ).
In 2007, visitors to the national park
generated a net turnover of 24 million euros, from which the
accommodation industry in particular benefits.
66.3% of the
tourists surveyed said no to the statement “The development of bark
beetles is damaging to tourism”. This means that they are more open
to current forest developments than local entrepreneurs, who agreed
with the above statement to 46.0%. The more the tourists know about
the tasks of a national park and the role of the bark beetle in the
forest ecosystem, the more likely they are to not fight the bark
beetle.
For a
long time, local politicians in the national park communities and
also accommodation providers were rather negative about the national
park. In the meantime, however, the municipalities of Bayerisch
Eisenstein, Lindberg, Zwiesel, Frauenau, Spiegelau, Sankt
Oswald-Riedlhütte, Neuschönau, Hohenau, Mauth and Grafenau have
joined forces to form the National Park Municipalities Association.
These cooperate in the field of tourism and also promote the
national park.
Together with the municipalities of the Czech
National Park Šumava, they appear as a national park region under
the brand name “Wild animal”.
The Bavarian Forest national park traffic concept
is intended to enable car-free tourism in the national park. In the
summer months, all hikers' parking spaces in the national park are
approached by the so-called hedgehog buses every hour or half hour,
while many streets in the park are closed to car traffic. The
connection between the larger communities is made possible primarily
by the forest railway lines Zwiesel-Grafenau, Zwiesel-Bayerisch
Eisenstein and Passau-Freyung. In the Zwiesel train station, a cycle
node was set up as part of an integrated cycle timetable for all
forest railway lines. A bottleneck is currently the Zwiesel-Grafenau
line, which can only be used every two hours due to the lack of
signal systems and crossroads.
In addition to the travel
offer, the Bayerwald Ticket was introduced in the 1990s. The Guest
Service Environment Ticket (GUTi) was introduced in May 2010. This
enables overnight guests to use buses and trains free of charge in
the area of validity of the Bayerwald ticket. All national park
communities and other communities take part in the GUTi. It is part
of the national park traffic concept Bavarian Forest.
Since
the introduction of the GUTi, the number of passengers has increased
significantly. On the Zwiesel – Grafenau railway line, capacity
utilization rose to 80 to 100% after the introduction of the GUTis.
The range of transport has been expanded and stops have been
renovated.