Steinmarkskopf-Hardenberg nature reserve

European beeches in the NSG

The Steinmarkskopf-Hardenberg nature reserve with a size of 16.6 hectares is located west of Elpe in the urban area of Olsberg in the Hochsauerland district . The area was designated as a nature reserve (NSG) by the Hochsauerlandkreis in 2004 with the Olsberg landscape plan . The NSG consists of two areas. The area of the NSG has been part of the Fauna-Flora-Habitat Area (FFH) ravine forests near Elpe (Natura 2000 no. DE-4716-302) in the European system of protected areas according to Natura 2000 since 2004 .

Area description

The NSG is a red beech forest , shady slope forests and near-natural stream upper courses in z. T. steep slope. The small streams flowing through the NSG from east to west have all the structural elements of near-natural upper streams in the low mountain range. Spring mosses form the underwater vegetation. In the northern area near the stream, there is a narrow shady slope forest with silver leaf. An impairment in the course of this brook takes place here through a fish pond. The northern part of the area is characterized by large stands of beech from strong old trees.

The beech stocks in the southern part of the area are of younger age. At the source stream to the south, species from the Schatthang forests are fragmentary along the stream. In the area of steep and narrow slopes, canyon forests rich in sycamore and ash have formed, which are traversed by spring streams. The two areas are separated from each other by a ski lift. Today it is used as a launch site for a hang-gliding school and belongs to the nature reserve open landscape complex Elpe . The forest complex of acidic beech forests, species-rich ash-maple-Schatthang forests with partly steep rock faces and near-natural brook upper courses is of supraregional importance in its close interlinking. For the NSG, the LANUV demands: Near-natural forest management with a focus on the natural forest community including its secondary tree species as well as on age and structure-diverse stands and promotion of natural regeneration from species of the natural forest community.

Protection purpose

The beech forest there is to be protected in the NSG. As with all nature reserves in Germany, the protection designation pointed out that the area became a nature reserve “because of the rarity, special character and beauty of the area”.