Wertewandel des Siegerländer Niederwaldes : Multifunktionale Waldwirtschaft in der Vergangenheit und heute

1997

S. 143-148

8 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200102879

The lecture deals with a regiomn opf 650 km¬ in the low mountein region in southern Westfalia in Germany which is one of the oldest mining areas in Europe. This area developed over the last 2.500 years harmoniously with the economy of the region mainly as a source of raw material as wood and tan bark. Already before Christ the original beech forest was transformed by the demand for charcoal for iron-smelting into coppice forest. Up to the late Middle Ages the forests were harvested at short rotation in a controlled manner. Thus it was possible to deliver wood in a sustainable way. When the demand for wood exceeded the resource people organised cooperatives which reduced the number of mines as well as the number of months in which mining was allowed. Growing industry and increase in population required more water and food. The preservation of the forests helped to retain the water. A special water- management of the meadows contributed to the nourishment. People used the coppice forest in the first year after a cut to grow cereals and in the following years as a pasture for cattle until the canopy was closed again (Agroforestry). The supply of tanning bark for the tanneries represented an additional economical value. Since the middle of the last centruy life became more independent from the forests because of substitution (mineral coal for charcoal tanning materials for slipped tan bark and so on). The forests didn't bring any more profit. Thus the transformation into seedling forest was supposed to be benefical and the best for the future.