Forests.Meadows.Wonderful Iphofen’s cultural heritage of coppice forestry LIFE09NAT/DE/000005 LIFE09 NAT/D/00000 2 Contents 1 The edge of the Steigerwald near Iphofen .......................................................................... 2 2 Coppice forests in Iphofen’s municipal forest ...................................................................... 4 3 Forest reserve at lake Wolfsee ........................................................................................... 6 4 Vineyards near Iphofen ...................................................................................................... 8 5 Glade valley with trench Rehberg .................................................................................... 10 6 Old common pastures near Hellmitzheim ......................................................................... 12 7 Tufa brook near Markt Einersheim ................................................................................... 14 1 The edge of the Steigerwald near Iphofen Far more than 1000 animal and plant species live on the edge of the Steigerwald. Among them are also some, which are very rare across Europe and under special protection. They are shown on the following pages. Some are so common in this area that you can see them on a hike with a bit of luck - like the "Jersey Tiger", which is displayed at the bottom of the page. The symbol identifies the species in the following text, which are under European protection. The cultural landscape around Iphofen is characterized by a management that was sometimes not changed for centuries. This led to unique populations of animal and plant species. Iphofen’s oak-hornbeam forests that are managed according to the over 250 years old rules of coppice forestry are the most prominent example for the cultural landscape at the edge of the Steigerwald. But changes in recent times have also created opportunities for nature, so soil interventions during extension of the railway line conveyed the development of tufa springs in Markt Einersheim. Tufa brooks are a very important habitat type in Europe. 2 3 LIFE – measures for nature With "LIFE + Nature" the European Union specifically promotes the implementation of conservation measures and measures for the preservation and development of biological diversity in the network of conservation areas Natura 2000. The aim of the LIFE project "Forests and glade valleys at the edge of the Steigerwald near Iphofen" was to se- cure the project area (approximately 3,000 acres) as an important element in the European network of conserva- tion areas Natura 2000 and a center of coppice forestry. Important measures are presented on the following pag- es. Cooperating project partners: City of Iphofen, Markt Markt Einersheim, Bavarian State Forestry, Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection. Co-financing by the Bavarian Nature Conservation Fund Project duration: 1.10.2010 to 31.12.2014 Project budget: 1.6 million euro Ways to experience the LIFE-Project The varied landscape at the edge of the Steigerwald gained some attractions: Through the LIFE project three natural adventure trails could be realized. Also accessible to visitors is the LIFE vineyard at the Schwanberg. Further Information: Tourist-Info Iphofen Kirchplatz 7, D - 97346 Iphofen Telephone: +49 (0)93 23 - 870306 Fax: +49 (0)93 23 - 870308 E-Mail: [email protected] 3 4 2 Coppice forests in Iphofen’s municipal forest The coppice forests in Iphofen’s municipal forest originate from many centuries of land use tradition. To this day the City of Iphofen and the “Rechtler” (urban residents with the right to use the timber) cultivate several hundred hectares of forest based on historical specifications. In the woods there is an extensive oak-hornbeam forest that is a natural habitat type according to the FFH (Fauna-Flora-Habitat) directive and therefore under European protection. Valuable biotope elements in these forests are: A small scale, changing species composition in the herb and shrub layers, depending on the site conditions, for example in relation to soil moisture. Different lighting conditions in close spatial sequence, resulting from the cultivation in small parcels. Multilayer structure with herb / shrub and tree layer(s), which change over the course of the cultivation progress. Shortly after the partial felling of trees, plenty of light falls on the ground due to thinning out and the herb layer can spread over a large area. Species such as the burning bush blossom then. With increasing growth in the shrub and tree layer, the light-demanding species of the herb layer withdraw or resort to the lighter edge of the forest. On the rough bark of old oak trees the middle spotted woodpecker seeks its food. His larger relatives, the great spotted woodpeckers, are fre- quently seen. The middle spotted woodpecker, however, is far less often - but not in the woods around Iphofen. In quiet forest ponds lives the crested newt (in this case a juvenile). Among the native newts its way of life is most similar to those of fish, because it can stay in the water all year round. 4 5 LIFE – measures for nature Coppice forestry was resumed on an area of 10 hectares of forest land, where the historic practices were abandoned a few decades ago. This demonstration of a coppice forest can be seen along the coppice forest trail. The edge of the forest was partially thinned out over a length of approximately 4 km to establish an interrelation between the adjacent meadows and forest areas. The forest was thinned out on an area of 8 hectares and is kept clear to give space to light-demanding forest species. Eight old ponds were rehabilitated as amphibian waters and new ones were created. Ways to experience the coppic forest Next to the oak on which a painting is installed, on the road Iphofen-Birklingen, the "coppice forest trail" begins. On this path of about 3 km you see the typical forest landscapes of the region and its characteristic meadow valleys. The 8 stations provide not only information, but invite the visitors to participate, to observe nature and to get to the bottom of tricky questions. The destination of the "coppice forest trail" is the information pavilion with a photo wall, a model of the project area and the historic forestry equipment (open on weekends in the hiking season or by appointment). 5 6 3 Forest reserve at lake Wolfsee The forests surrounding the lakes “Wolfsee” in the Forest of Limpurg south of Dorn- heim are owned by the Bavarian State Forestry and are protected as a forest re- serve. Since 1978, no forestry activities took place on the approximately 76 hectares of forest area. Thus, within several centuries, the forest is able to develop largely without human influence here. For the future generations a "Franconian primeval forest" is developing: The trees reach their natural age, die, collapse and with their decomposition the natural cycle completes. For the ecosystem, the trees in the final stages of their lives and as deadwood - standing and lying – become increasingly valuable. They are an essential quality characteristic of the natural forest. The stag beetle uses various structures of the forest during his perennial life cycle, for example injured tree trunks with juice leakage for food in- take, rotting tree stumps for underground egg deposition and the males fight their battles on lying deadwood. 6 7 LIFE – measures for nature For the stag beetle 20 so-called "stag beetle brood piles" were created. The excavated holes were covered with rotting oak stumps and filled up with oak chaff. Here, the females can lay eggs and the larvae go through their multi-year underground development cycle until they crawl to the surface as mature beetles. A total of 200 old trees, which are valuable from a nature conservation perspective were marked in the Forest of Limpurg and Iphofen’s municipal forest, which are now under permanent protection as biotope trees. Ways to experience the forest reserve: the „primordial nature forest trail“ The “primordial nature forest trail” leads to “Methuselah”, who tells stories about the ancient forest, and continues to the Great Wolfsee, where you can get on a floating platform. Anyone with a little time and peace can then observe life on the lake and listen to the voices of the forest. 7 8 4 Vineyards near Iphofen Extensively managed vineyards with dry stone walls are a valuable habitat. The smooth snake lives in sunny vineyards. This non-toxic snake hides in dry stone walls and cairns. The trivial German name of the ortolan or ortolan bunting says a lot about its habitat: The "garden bunting" requires small structures with open soil (as in a vegetable gar- den) and scattered trees. It finds both at the top of the vineyards. 8 9 LIFE – measures for nature Within the project a steep slope vineyard was built with dry stone walls. It is cultivated by an association of winemakers from Iphofen, the “mountain winemakers”. Ways to experience the vineyards On the Schwanberg above Iphofen a historical vineyard was created. If you walk from there to the „Terroir F“-point at the Schwanberg, a beautiful view over the vast Maintal is offfered. 9 10 5 Glade valley with trench Rehberg The trench Rehberg drains a glade valley south of Dornheim. These meadows were traditionally used as hay meadows. Due to the extensive use a significant European natural habitat type could develop here, the so called "plain mowing maedows". A great diversity of species of flowering plants and insects are the quality characteris- tics of these meadows. Due to frequent cutting and strong fertilization many of the characteristic species are endangered, some don’t even occur anymore. Those meadows in close interrelation with tall forb communities along forest edges and rivers are an essential habitat, for example for the dusky large blue. It is in its development - as the German name sug- gests - among other things, dependent on the great burnet on which it is also shown in the adjacent picture. Host fish have brought mussel larvae, called glochidia, via the river Bibart into the trench Rehberg, where the conditions were suitable for the development of a river mussel population.