There are also good and bad times in the life of a tree. The tree's growth rings tell us about this: the narrower they are, the more difficult the living conditions were during the growth phase (drought, shade, little space, etc.). Discover the good years on the tree slice!
Wilderness area - "The primeval forest of tomorrow"
The Rahrbacher PoesieWeg leads between the experience stations "Vergehen & Entstehen" and "Lebensringe" through one of 100 wilderness areas in North Rhine-Westphalia (total area: 7736 hectares in the state's own forest alone).
Wilderness areas are forest areas with old deciduous forests in which timber is no longer used and the natural development dynamics are not influenced by human intervention. This means that in wilderness areas, the age-related decay phase of the trees is not prevented and the proportion of old and dead wood in these forests increases over the years. This creates valuable habitats for highly specialized species, some of which are threatened with extinction, such as woodpeckers, black storks, stag beetles and other wood-decaying fungi. And so it is the aim of the forestry administration to make a contribution to species and habitat protection through the many wilderness areas in North Rhine-Westphalia.
But unmistakably, this "wilderness" in some of North Rhine-Westphalia's forests has nothing to do with the deserted landscapes we know from other countries. Nor do wolves and bears play a role here. Instead, the focus in the wilderness areas is on barely perceptible, slow developments to protect not only large but also many inconspicuous animal and plant species!
In the long term, the wilderness areas are to become small areas of second-growth primeval forest. It will be many decades, perhaps even centuries, before this development is complete.
Note:
Most of the wilderness areas are located in nature reserves, so it is forbidden to enter the forest areas off the paths or to pick plants or mushrooms. And of course visitors to the forest, whether in a "normal" forest or a wilderness area, must be aware of typical forest hazards such as falling branches and tripping hazards.
Tip:
Read here what exactly is going on in North Rhine-Westphalia's "wild forests", why they have been designated and why foresters from Wald und Holz NRW are looking after the wilderness.
The resting place is located on the Rahrbacher Poesieweg circular trail, which stretches for around 8 km.
The surroundings create a calming atmosphere. You can pause at various stations along the way. Short, inspiring poems await visitors there, encouraging them to linger, reflect and feel a closer connection to nature.
A free booklet is available to enhance the experience on the Poetry Trail. This can be obtained from the Lennestadt & Kirchhundem Tourist Information Office or downloaded online.