Tree death in the waterworks park
Information from the Environmental Agency
Due to the persistent drought and heat of the last three years, the area known as Wasserwerkspark has seen an increase in the death of older trees, especially older copper beeches. The geological conditions in the hillside forest and the mostly shallow soil are evidently causing the rapid death of the older trees due to their low water storage capacity.
Visitors are asked to pay greater attention to the typical natural hazards, such as falling branches or toppling trees. The Environmental Agency expressly points out that walking on the paths in the entire area is at your own risk (§ 60 Federal Nature Conservation Act and § 11 para. 2 Saxon Forest Act) and for this reason there is no winter service. Leaving the paths is not permitted for reasons of species protection and due to the provisions of the area nature monuments.
The name Wasserwerkspark has a historical background and suggests an urban public area dedicated to the public and accordingly maintained and secured. However, this is not the case. The majority of the land in this area around the Zwönitz is declared as forest within the meaning of the Saxon Forest Act. In 1994, these forest areas were placed under nature conservation protection due to their 150- to 200-year-old oak-beech hillside forest and alluvial forest character.
This unspoilt area is home to a large number of wild animal and plant species, which are offered a refuge within urban areas thanks to the diverse structures. This refuge must be promoted and preserved in the future.
Accordingly, hazards are only removed as far as possible within the framework of traffic safety on the outer boundaries of private properties and publicly dedicated roads and paths as well as allotment gardens.
In the area itself, however, trees are allowed to decompose undisturbed as standing deadwood. They provide breeding and feeding grounds for several species of woodpecker, including the strictly protected black woodpecker, which breeds here, as the standing deadwood is teeming with beetle larvae, ants and other insects.
If a tree has to be felled, the Environment Agency only arranges for the tree tops to be removed. This leaves a so-called trunk stump as a small biotope. This creates a highly interesting forest dynamic with a wild, natural character in terms of nature conservation.