Osterkopf

The Osterkopf seen from Heimberg in West southwest from

The Osterkopf is a 708.5 m above sea level. NN high mountain in Rothaargebirge and Upland in Waldeck- Frankenberg in northern Hesse ( Germany ). His high altitudes are characterized by unique high moorland and are protected.

Geography

Location

The Osterkopf located in the northwestern part of North Hesse in the northeastern foothills of the Rothaargebirge in Diemelsee Nature Park. It rises north of Usseln (eastern district of Willingen ) and south of the Sähre, as its southern slopes of Osterkopf applies. West flowing past a section of the upper reaches Diemel and east whose small tributary Mülmecke. South past runs through Usseln the federal highway 251, from which you can access on side streets to the south and south-eastern flank of the Easter head; from there its summit is to reach trails and paths.

Watershed

About the Osterkopf the Diemel-Eder/Fulda/Weser-Wasserscheide runs: the water of all short streams that flow to the northeast, reached via the Mülmecke and Diemel the Weser and the water of the rivers that run to the east, opens via Neerdar and Wild aa ( " eagle " ), Orke, Eder and Fulda in the Weser.

Nature Spatial allocation

The Osterkopf heard in the main physiographic unit group Süder Bergland ( number 33) in the main unit Rothaargebirge ( with Sauerland ) ( 333) and the subunit Upland ( 333.9 ) for natural space affairs Upland ( 333.90 ).

Formation and development of the Easter head

The Easter head is an isolated cone-shaped mountain standing in the air district of North West Germany and in the climate field of HochSauerland. The weather here being determined by southwestern and northwestern humid ocean air masses. A lot of the humidity rains Although already on the west upstream hills of the Sauerland from the mean annual rainfall is still very high, with 1100-1350 mm. The altitude explains the high rainfall, the majority of which falls in winter. Up to 100 days of the year the ground is covered with snow. Due to the free area in front of the northwest side of the mountain, the wind speeds are so reinforced that the wind keeps the vegetation short and even parts of the humus layer with ablating. In winter driving in heavy frost squalls the ice crystals over the heath, so the vegetation is constantly being thinned and conditions as in the Scandinavian tundra prevail. The mean annual temperature is only at 6 ° C - a value that is also found in southern Scandinavia. At around 50 days a year of Osterkopf of high fog is overcast. Biologists believe that the north-west slopes of Easter was head ever since the last ice age, a " wind heath ", ie from a temporal point of view, the original state and growth is largely preserved.

In particular, the occurrence of Alpenbärlapps who here still has one of his few areas of distribution, suggests a continuing since the ice and glacial tundra of Central Europe forest freedom of these parts of the Easter head. The other areas of the mountain may have been previously possible beech forests, the beech has already met with at this level in the low mountain ranges of their distribution limit. The demand for fuel wood led here but early clearings. In the High Middle Ages seems to have been operated up to the hilltop farming. After the abandonment of these Terms of heather was from the northwest slope spread all over the mountain.

Since little was enough straw in Upland as stable litter available, large parts of the heathland were geplaggt in the following centuries, that is, the top layer of soil was choppy with the growth in " MILLING " and taken to the drying in the stables. These areas were covered tentatively only after two years of lichens, mosses and grasses again, after three years came the cranberry, which remained until about the 20th year after the sods. In the following period, put more and more back to the original heath vegetation and only then this place could be geplaggt again. As a result, the high heath also tapered at the locations that were not exposed as the wind heath on the northwest slope of the constant sanding by the weather, constantly.

After the Second World War, this use of the heath was soon abandoned. In the following decades the heath recoiled at the Easter head more and more. It was no longer to rejuvenate the heather; at the points that were not fully exposed to the influence of wind, often the blueberry shrubs prevailed; the heath itself grew taller, they verbuschte, the growth did not renew itself. Added to this was the establishment of spruce and pine that came from seeds flight from neighboring afforested sites on the heaths. Spruce and pine were planted in the Sauerland region until the second half of the 18th century and are not originally occurring native trees and shrubs. However, they are superior to the Book of extreme locations, so that they could spread to the heaths, as by the lack of permanent sod the young trees no longer a regular distance subject.

Especially the eastern side of the mountain turned into a short time in a pine forest with heath residues. Only at the beginning of the 1970s awakened awareness of the uniqueness of the existing heathland and its flora in the Usselner population, with the impetus to certainly came largely from outside.

How did biologists and plant specialists in guided tours and lectures locally on the specifics of the heath attention. Also on the possibility of further recession of the heath has been mentioned. 1976, there were plans to reforest parts of the Easter head just below the crest in grand style with spruce. By the opinion of many unique value of the bare hilltops Usselner these plans were tilted. Another reason was that the originally non- native spruce covered nearly every mountain of Lüdenscheid in the west, by the Soester Plain in the north to the Thuringian and Franconian Forest to the east and south.

1978 began on the heath care measures carried out by local members of the Sauerland mountain association with the technical assistance of Naturschutzring Northern Hesse. Pines and spruces were after for after in many parts particularly like the eastern peak area and burned on the spot. For the first time since the Second World War, the tree growth could be pushed back again. At the same time the designation of a conservation area on the Osterkopf was operated by the Department Usseln the Sauerland mountain club, and local bodies. This led to success: On January 7, 1982 35 hectares have been designated by regulation of the Government Presidents in Kassel as a nature reserve Osterkopf at Usseln. Now the heath was safe from afforestation.

But central question was, and remained, whether and how the heaths can be obtained in its substance and extent. It played namely, in addition to the overgrowth by location alien tree species and the lack of regeneration of heath by use of litter other reasons for grassing and aging of the heath plants a role. Perhaps also the pollutants by precipitation for the lack resilience of plants was responsible.

In 1986, finally, a care plan on behalf of the top conservation authority was created, which provided the following measures for discussion: Abplaggen by hand or by machine, pushing the litter layer, mowing with rotary mowers, light milling, controlled burning, grazing and mowing. A combination of these measures should be the main goal of a nutrient discharge cause. It should therefore be prevented by rotting of the Altsubstanz humus production. However, saith the care plan of missing or a few experiences and findings from previous missions such conservation measures. In the experimental plots of the Sauerland mountain club at the Kahle Pön, where in 1975 six plots were treated differently, which settled in 2003 in their growth on the environment, the traditional Abplaggen the heath had the most success. Finally, should a preservation and an extension of the heaths are accomplished by the cooperation of all these care measures on Easter head but.

In recent years, in many parts of the nature reserve at the head of the Easter tree and shrub vegetation removed gradually, with individual trees weather, typical for the heath dwarf pines with their disheveled by the west wind knots, and juniper bushes were left. In some places the whole of the upper humus layer was removed. At certain intervals, the grazing of sheep, which extended especially to the neighboring poor grass was. Especially in the northwestern area of the heath to the west wind was again full access is granted to the summit by upstream plantations were cut down.

It is now apparent that the overall picture has changed, the decline of heathland was halted, the Osterkopf presents itself again as a largely barren hilltop with a typical individual trees. On closer inspection it can be seen that the heath plants partially settle again on the exposed surfaces.

View opportunity

From the top of the head almost completely treeless Easter can enjoy the view not only of parts of the Waldeck Uplands but also those of the natural park Diemelsee. In very good visibility you can see the Brocken.