Mattheiser Forest nature reserve
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Mattheiser Forest nature reserve
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 The nature reserve from the south |
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| location | Rhineland-Palatinate , Germany | |
| surface | 4.47 km² | |
| WDPA ID | 318769 | |
| Geographical location | 49 ° 43 ' N , 6 ° 39' E | |
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| Setup date | 2003 | |
| administration | City of Trier | |
| Legal basis | Directive 92/43 / EEC (Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive) | |
The Mattheiser Forest is a nature conservation and fauna flora habitat (FFH) area . It is located in the south-eastern part of the urban area of the city of Trier and includes most of the former military training area .
history
The forest area was originally under the manorial power of the nearby Abbey of St. Eucharius - St. Matthias . After secularization , the forest was repeatedly used as a military training area, most recently by the French military. In the middle of this forest was the " Special Weapons Camp Mattheiser Wald" under French guard during the Cold War .
The area of today's nature reserve includes most of the practice area of the former (from 1938) Feyen barracks , later also called Castelnau barracks . It was therefore not or only partially accessible to the public for about 60 years and was hardly ever used for forestry purposes. After the withdrawal of the French military in 1999, in addition to the barracks, the area of the training area became available as a conversion area and the discussion on the further use of this area began.
In 2001 the SGD-Nord gave an oral promise to designate the forest as a nature reserve . In October 2002 there was written confirmation that it "intends to formally designate the area of the former French military training area in the Mattheiser Forest as a nature reserve." Accordingly, the protected area should encompass approx. 501 hectares . In August 2003, the 447 hectare Mattheiser Forest was placed under nature protection by the city of Trier and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate (SGD Nord). Since mid-2004, the city of Trier has designated the area as a flora-fauna habitat (FFH) recognized by the EU. It is now part of Natura 2000 , the European ecological network.
In May 2004, a support association was founded to provide information and educational work about the flora and fauna in the largest nature reserve in Trier. This achieved that around 450 hectares and thus most of the former military training area were designated as a nature reserve after the withdrawal of the French armed forces and then in 2005 as a Fauna Flora Habitat (FFH). He also campaigned against the plan to set up an industrial park called a craft park right next to the nature reserve . After these goals were achieved, the association consequently dissolved again in 2008.
Location and protection purposes
The Mattheiser Forest is a large oak and hornbeam mixed forest rich in old wood and is located in the south of the city of Trier. It includes the valley of the Aulbach as well as the slopes and hills adjoining it to the southeast as far as the Kandelbach. In many places, remains of military use can still be seen in the form of shooting ranges, exercise parcours and tank roads. The military use and the associated soil compaction have created open spaces, pools and areas with little vegetation. The area includes diverse biotope structures that provide a habitat for many, including rare animal and plant species. These include the yellow-bellied toad , which uses the pond as a spawning habitat, various bat species that find roosts and hunting habitats here, as well as crested newts , smooth snakes , wild cats , black and middle woodpeckers , swallowtails , longhorn beetles , colorful forget-me-nots (Myoswingotis discolor) and bristles Vulpia bromoides).
Most of the wetlands are located on tree-free areas that were formerly created by military maneuvers. In order not to overgrow again, they are grazed with sheep and goats and, if necessary, kept free with heavy equipment. In order to preserve the areas of the middle forest, as they were typically used in the past for the extraction of tan , the trees there are cut back to the cane about every 10 years, whereby individual old trees are preserved.
Use as a recreational area
Since the withdrawal of the military, the area has become a popular local recreation area, especially for the neighboring districts , which inevitably leads to conflicts of use with nature conservation. Dogs may only be taken on a leash, drones and other model aircraft and vehicles are forbidden, mountain bikers and riders must use paths, geocaches can only be placed directly on paths, etc.
See also
literature
- The Mattheiser Forest - a local recreation area in Trier. naturregion-trier.de, accessed on May 1, 2018 .
- Biodiversity instead of artillery - the Mattheiser Wald nature reserve. City of Trier Ordinance on the nature reserve "Mattheiser Wald", accessed on May 1, 2018 .
- Profile of the FFH area. Rhineland-Palatinate, landscape information system of the nature conservation administration, accessed on May 1, 2018 .
- The Mattheiser Forest - a local recreation area. Rhineland-Palatinate, SGD Nord, accessed on May 1, 2018 .
- Trier: Friends of Mattheiser Wald e. V. dissolves - assets go to animal welfare association. Trierischer Volksfreund from June 1, 2008, accessed on May 1, 2018 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Locations of former special ammunition depots in the area of the ("old") Federal Republic. Accessed on July 11, 2018. Original link no longer available, therefore kmz file for google earth or marble virtual globe at archive.org
- ^ Petit reportage sur le depot munitions Mattheiser Wald
