Every now and then I need to escape the urban hustle of the city (well, as far as you can find that in Brunswick) and dive into the woods of the Harz mountains. The monoculture of fast growing pine trees has faced a major decline due to a combination of storms, droughts and pests in recent years. For a while the forest offered a sad and depressing view of dry and dead trees. However, new trees are emerging between the withered tree trunks, slowly but surely. The forest is now largely left to its own natural progression resulting in a more divers species composition with a much larger portion of deciduous trees. This plant community is also thought to be better adapted to different pressures by pests and climate changes. Additionally the expansive clearings offer habitat for a multitude of often threatened plant and animal species.
Click on an image to open a full size diashow.
Lesnik Photos 