1 m2 of forest as a secure habitat for animals in Germany

The older and less used forests are, the higher their biodiversity. Over a quarter of the plant, animal and fungal species living in the forest depend on deadwood, which is allowed to remain in the forest primarily in unused natural and primeval forests (Schiegg Pasinelli & Suter, 2002). But not even 3 percent of forests in Germany are allowed to develop as natural forests (Rosenthal et al., 2015). This has direct consequences for biodiversity, which is significantly lower in commercial forests than in unused forests (Wermellinger & Duelli, 2001). In commercial forests, trees are felled after just a third of their natural lifespan, before the structures that are vital for many forest species, such as deadwood, caves and coarse bark, have been able to develop (Biermayer, 2020; Plate, 2010). For example, beech trees in commercial forests are usually felled when they are 140 years old. For wood-dwelling species, however, beech trees, which reach an age of around 300 years, only become interesting in the second half of their life and as dying deadwood (Plate, 2010). A quarter of all beetle species and forest dwellers such as the middle spotted woodpecker, crested tit or dormouse depend on rotten wood (Schmidt, 2006; Franz et al., 2006).
That is why we are taking our forests out of use and creating natural forests that develop permanently free from human influence and, with plenty of old trees and dead wood, become a refuge for numerous animal and plant species.