Harz National Park
The Harz National Park is one of the largest forest national parks in Germany. It covers 247.03 km ², with its ( about 158 km ² in Lower Saxony and 89 km ² in Saxony -Anhalt ) is approximately ten percent of the total area of the resin around the chunks of Herzberg in the south to Bad Harzburg and Ilse castle in the north. The park is recognized internationally by the IUCN and part of the European system of protected areas Natura 2000. Approximately 96 percent of the area are forests, especially spruce and beech forests, covered. In addition to the vast forest areas take Moore because of their particular expression of an outstanding position. Formative landscape are also granite cliffs and mountain streams.
- 6.1 Attractions
- 6.2 Road Access
- 6.3 Information Facilities
- 6.4 Municipalities in National Parks
Geographical location
The Harz National Park is located in the western part of the resin ( see Upper Harz ) and extends from Wernigerode and Ilse Castle in the north to Herzberg and Bad Loud Mountain in the south. In his peripheral areas of the park lies at altitudes of 230 m in the north to 270 m in the south, increasing to 1141.2 m above sea level. NHN at the summit of the Brocken.
In the area of the National Park are the headwaters of several rivers such as the Bode, the Oder, or Use. The Oder flows through the Oderteich and feeds the location on the southeastern border of the park Odertalsperre. More dams and standing waters within or at the edge of the national park include the Eckertalsperre and the silver pond. The highest elevations are the Brocken, the Bruchberg and the aft man.
History
Today's transnational Harz National Park was created on 1 January 2006 by the merger of the eponymous national park Harz in Lower Saxony and the Upper Harz National Park, Saxony- Anhalt. Head of large nature reserve is since the merger Andreas Pusch.
The Harz National Park was set up two days before the German reunification because of a Council of Ministers decision of the East German government on 1 October 1990 to the National Park program. The park consisted of the eastern high resin around the chunks between Eckertalsperre, Hohnekamm and Schierke, later extended to Ilsenburg. The region is characterized by an almost untouched flora and fauna, which can be attributed directly to the former German - German border, mainly due to the centuries- long forestry unused so-called " chunks jungle " and the location. In the communist era the chunks until 1961 was available with an easy to be obtained permit. As of 13 August 1961 he was a restricted area, thus there was no tourist use more. Since the 1970s, were also in the Harz forest problems such as bark beetles or fungus. In the course of optimism at the turn of time, they were the ones who provided the impetus for the establishment of the national park. On 1 January 1991, the National Park Service took in Wernigerode, led by Hubertus Hlawatsch their service on. As the successor of Peter Hubertus Hlawatsch acted Gaffert from 1995 until its merger with the western Harz National Park (2006).
The Lower Saxon part of the park has been launched after four years of preparation, on 1 January 1994. Founding director was Wolf -Eberhard Barth. Although there was talk of a common National Park project in both countries since the turn, it took another twelve years to implement.
The Harz National Park is part of the European umbrella organization EUROPARC Federation, a network of national parks, biosphere reserves and nature parks. It deals with, among others, information exchange, training, public relations and lobbying. The German section EUROPARC Germany eV this umbrella organization has also organized the composite of many protected areas in Germany.
2005 has been included in the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas of the National Park.
Currently employs 180 employees of National Park, in the national park administrations Wernigerode (headquarters), the branch office in Sankt Andreas Berg OT or house as well as work in the area. The employees of the National Park Patrol, which are also referred to as rangers, guides make and undertake tasks in public relations and environmental education, up to the support of National Contact Points and parking garages.
Zoning
The Harz National Park is recognized by the IUCN as a National Park ( Reserve of category II according to IUCN system). For at least 75 percent of the area must be designated as a nature dynamic zone ( core zone ) according to the guidelines. In this zone, the nature is entirely up to themselves. Is this area percentage is not reached, the sites may be considered as so-called developing national parks if they meet these standards within 30 years.
The Harz National Park is regarded as developing National Park. Currently, 52 percent of the area of the national park was designated a natural dynamic zone. The aim is to 2022Vorlage: In 5 years to exceed future / the 75 percent threshold.
47 percent of the national park area are still natural development zone. Action will be carried out in accordance with the forest development plan. The aim is to give the largest possible part of this natural development zone in the natural dynamics zone.
One percent of the area is considered use zone. These include tourism or culturally important areas as the Brocken, mountain meadows and heavy metal lawn. Here care measures will take place in the future.
Furthermore, forest protection measures are taken to protect the adjacent forest areas within a 500 m wide zone on the outskirts of the national park.
Climatic conditions
On the chunks prevail particular climatic conditions that are comparable to those Islands. In the harsh climate of the resin, natural tree line is at 1,100 meters above sea level, the summit of the Brocken with its 1141.2 m is therefore treeless. Between the lichen -covered rock heaps of the resin grows a tundrenartige heath vegetation that is adapted to the frequent fog, low temperatures and 300 rain and snow days. Due to the high rainfall in the mountain areas of the resin is one of the most water-rich regions of Germany.
On foggy days can be extremely rare on the Brocken next halos also the " Brocken specter " watch. The latter is an optical effect, are projected on the huge fog at the items.
Ecology
Flora
The natural forests of high resin composed primarily of European Silver Fir (Picea abies) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia ), only below 600 m altitude deciduous trees dominate the forest. Since the resin was deforested in the 19th century by the ore mining partially, the Count's chief forester Hans Dietrich von Zanthier developed the concept, reforestation with fast-growing spruce. This led to the now widespread spruce monoculture. Unlike the " spruce resin " originating from other regions planted spruces come but less well with the snow and ice load in the resin handle and react thus are more prone to bark beetle infestation.
Currently there are 82 percent of the forests of spruce stands. Only 12 percent of the trees are houses. The remaining 6 percent of the trees are species such as oak, mountain ash or birch. (As of December 2007)
In the Harz National Park, there are different height levels of vegetation. In the subalpine area above 1050 m is the " combat zone " of spruce. Here the trees are often over 250 years old and bent by the wind into bizarre shapes. Mostly find here various dwarf shrub heaths and raised bogs. Between 750 m and 1050 m above sea level you will be in the upper montane vegetation level. Here dominates the spruce. These areas can be found in the area around Schierke and peat house. Only in the mountainous area between 450 m and 750 m height and the submontane vegetation stage prevail beech forests. Today's book collections grow mainly on acidic soil. The predominantly encountered forest community is the Luzulo - Buchenwald. Normally closes in the areas above 700 m of spruce mixed beech forest on. But this area has been shrunk in the National Park from a few remainders and replaced by spruce trees. In the region Ilsenburg the spruce monoculture goes down even up to 230 m altitude. In these zones, the spruce is not native, as a result of climate change where it caused increased damage caused by bark beetle infestation. Currently, the National Park Authority assumes there before planting to settle here locally appropriate and originally dominant beech and sycamore again.
The Harz is home to the Brockenanemone (Pulsatilla alpina subsp. Alba ), which grows in Germany only on the plateau of the Brocken. Their stocks were particularly vulnerable to the onset of mass tourism since reunification, but have stabilized. The Brocken Garden, a botanical garden on the Brocken summit, dealt mainly with species conservation and the restoration of the mountaintop.
Especially valuable for nature conservation are the fells - the restoration of former moorland was initiated. The conditions are favorable, as the fells are less stressed in the National Park of human use than the Moore in the Lower Saxon lowlands. As the wood in the resin was scarce, they tried to take advantage of the peat bogs. This proved to be due to the low heating value of the peat and the weather conditions in the high resin as unprofitable. The bogs in the Harz have an international significance because of their characteristics and flora.
Fauna
The resin is now living the European lynx again. This was in the early 19th century in the area eradicated. A final report on a successful hunt lynx in the Harz is from the year 1818. In an eleven-day hunt, attended nearly 200 people at the, a male lynx was brought down in Lautenthal. On these hunting success recalls the so-called lynx stone today. That killed copy was prepared and issued in a diorama at the Natural History Museum in Braunschweig. 1999 it was decided to locate the lynx again. Between 2000 and 2007, 24 lynx were released from Zoonachzuchten. Prior to the release of the animals are prepared in a large enclosure acclimatization to freedom. In addition, there is the National Park Waldgaststätte Rabenklippe a viewing enclosure in which the shy cats can also be observed by the National Park visitors. Since 2002, there is ample evidence of people born in the wild pups. Some lynx were given a GPS transmitter. So you can get more details about the home range of the animals. The project management receives the information via SMS from the transmitter.
Another reintroduction project was the capercaillie, which became extinct between 1920 and 1930 in the resin. The reintroduction began in 1978. Were reared and reintroduced about 1000 animals over time. Despite still existing animals of the stock is considered not secure. Due to the lack of success, the project was discontinued in 2003.
The wild cat has today in the resin of one of their most important German resources. It is classified as endangered in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is assumed that the wild cat has a stable population in the Harz Mountains. It is distributed throughout the territory and preferred the warmer, richer structure and better supplied with nutrients locations (lower deciduous forest regions with a larger food supply ).
In addition to lynx and wild cat face, inter alia, red and roe deer as an important species in the Harz National Park dar.
As invasive species often raccoon or isolated cases before the raccoon dog. The European mouflon, which was settled in the 1930s in various districts of the resin from hunting grounds, is found in the National Park.
Ecological problems
Lately, the Harz National Park, next to the acid rain and other environmental problems also has difficulties with bark beetle outbreaks. The bark beetles are also on the rise due to climate change and global warming. Since 2006, there have been increased bark beetle gradations. Furthermore taught Hurricane Kyrill in the region of severe damage to. Tree inventories, particularly of spruce broke partially over long distances. By subsequently necessary bark beetle Bekämpfungsmaßahmen became the management of the national parks in neighboring municipalities in the criticism. In particular, the national park community Ilsenburg criticized the use of technology (eg, Harvesters ). Because of the inaccessibility of the terrain, however, it was hardly possible otherwise to bring the over-turned by the wind strains of the affected areas.
In the so-called natural development zone of the Harz National Park, which surrounds the core zone, the bark beetle is where fights necessary, and there are also local plantations carried out in order to promote the natural forest development. To protect these beech and oak plantations also a national park just wildlife management is required. Allegations, it would have private or state hunts given in the national park, turned out to be baseless.
Tourism
The national park is an important tourist factor in the resin. The Brocken, long inaccessible, is the main attraction of the large nature reserve. Approximately 1 million visitors every year there are counted. For the entire National Park can be an attendance of approximately 4 million estimate. Exact figures were not recorded. The National Park region and its neighboring towns and cities every year proves to about nine million visitors.
Attractions
The region offers many attractions. The main objective of most visitors is the Brocken. There is the possibility of the story of the Brocken in the former " Stasi Mosque " today Brockenhaus to actively experience. The park offers to its National Park houses extensive exhibitions on various topics. Example is discussed in Saint Andrew Berg on Mining and Geology or the House of Nature in Bad Harzburg specifically to forest habitats.
Besides just the natural features are worth seeing. Very popular with visitors, in addition to the Brocken the wolf waiting in peat house or Hohnekamm with the Leistenklippen. Popular hikes are, besides the chunks Tour, which tours around Lonau, the Oderteich or along the Rehberger trench in the western part of the park. In the eastern part of many visitors make hikes to Hohnekamm or by Ilsetal Eckertalsperre. In the southern part of the pond or pond and silver may even be bathed.
Eckerloch Stieg
Black Schluftwasser
View from the cliff ledges on cliff border and chunks
Transport links
The National Park can be visited all year round. Its territory is good transport links. From the north it is accessible via the federal highway 395 and Federal streets 6n and 4. From the south of the park on the motorway 38 ( Suedharz motorway ) and the federal highways 242 and 27 is reached. In Drei Annen Hohne, Schierke and peat house there are large parking lots, which are useful as starting points for various hiking routes. In addition, the National Park with the Brocken Railway can be reached. The stations Drei Annen Hohne, Schierke and chunks are located directly on or in the National Park, they are good starting points to explore. Take the train can be reached via the breakpoints Wernigerode, Goslar, Ilse castle and Herzberg am Harz in the park.
Information facilities
The National Park Service maintains five National Park houses. These are located in Altenau- peat house, Drei Annen Hohne, Ilse castle, Saint Andreas Berg ( Samsoner Erzwäsche ) and Schierke. Other National Park facilities include a chunk House and the Museum of Natural History in Bad Harzburg.
Municipalities in National Parks
Be located within the Harz National Park, or in its immediate neighboring environment, the following towns and cities ( in alphabetical order): Altenau, Brown situation, Bad Harzburg, Herzberger districts Lonau and Sieber, Ilse Castle, the Easter Barren district Riefensbeek - Kamschlacken and Wernigeröder district Schierke.