Development of Forests Suited to the Location

In the LIFE project area there are approximately 157.52 hectares of forest (= 27.15% of the entire area). Of these, only about 26.23 hectares are dominated by endemic deciduous trees. Over 80% of the forests in the area are afforestations with coniferous trees, which furthermore are often dominated by foreign tree species (especially black pine, Japanese larch and silver spruce).

On approximately 80 hectares of forest area coniferous tree populations are to be developed partly into mixed deciduous tree populations. The long-term goal here is to support the forest habitat 9190 under the Habitats Directive, "Old acidophilous oak woods with Quercus robur on sandy plains". To achieve this, the existing coniferous forests are thinned out as a preparatory measure to admit enough light. After the thinning-out is completed, oaks and beeches will be planted in the thus prepared forests.

The alteration of the forest has begun in the centrally located forest areas along the rampart of the Burgwall and will be continued in other parcels of land at the periphery of the project area.

To outline richly structured multi-tiered forest edges, which slowly change into open land, further endemic tree and shrub species are planted along the forest edges.