Formation of the heath landscape Lüneburg Heath

lüneburg heath



path near undeloh



soil profile of heath podsol showing hardpan

after end of weichselian ice age (115,000 10,000 years ago) first woods appeared in area forms lüneburg heath which, following natural ecological succession , encouraged gradual improvement in climate, progressed birch , pine forest through hazel woods light woods of sessile oaks.

the heath , surrounding area belong regions of north german plain in hunter culture of mesolithic era superseded quite on neolithic farmers. 3000 bc, during neolithic, large open areas appeared on lightly undulating, sandy stretches of geest on lüneburg heath. result of intensive grazing of sessile oak woods , associated destruction of successive new stands of trees. these open areas became dominated common heather (calluna vulgaris), largely grazing-resistant species of plant. nevertheless, oak , beech woods succeeded time , again in establishing wherever man left areas of heath untended. on long period of time region of lüneburg heath alternated between periods when heathlands spread , dominated scene , times when largely covered forest , small areas of heath existed. finally, after migration period, wooded areas of region increased considerably.

herd of heidschnucken (moorland sheep)



the sheep-cote – distinctive building preserved, painting erwin vollmer, 1904

not until after 1000 ad pollen analysis show continuous reduction in woodlands , considerable increase in heather. brought change nomadic farming settled farming permanent settlements. typical heath farming economy emerged: due poor soils few available nutrients large area concentrated on relatively small fields, grain, in particular, produced. achieved regular removal of turf (a method known plaggen), used hay pens of moorland sheep, heidschnucken. enriched manure , urine of sheep – , spread on fields fertiliser.

by cutting turf regenerative capacity of soils exhausted. regular removal of top layer of soil contributed spreading of heathland. heather decomposes, ph value of soil falls drastically, far iron buffer-region @ ph 3, initiates process of podsolisation. soil life severely damaged, results in hard layer of earth underneath root zone on heath @ depth of 40 centimetres (16 in). iron , humus particles released topsoil precipitate onto impervious hardpan. subsoil separates topsoil. nutrients largely washed out of topsoil leads leaching , causes typical grey-white coloration of paths on heath.

the oft-expressed view in literature heath arose in middle ages result of demand wood lüneburg salt pans incorrect. lüneburg salt ponds needed firewood production of salt, did not appear until around 1000 ad, time heath had been around 4,000 years. amount required, in heyday of production, have been continuously supplied area of woodland 50 km in area, yet heath covers on 7000 km. in case wood did not come heath, via waterways, mecklenburg elbe , area of schaalsee. transportation overland have been far expensive (apart river ilmenau navigable @ time, no rivers flow main areas of heathland lüneburg), can seen not of delivery notes still survive, fact there still large woods around lüneburg itself, such göhrde. heathland has frequentely developed in areas there no salt pans, such sheep-grazing regions on coasts of norway portugal , in scotland , ireland.

the heath not therefore natural landscape, cultural landscape created intervention of man. in order prevent semi-open heathland being repopulated trees, pines and, lesser extent, silver birches, cause loss of millennia-old environment , many inhabitants, including rare animal , plant species, sheep allowed graze regularly; these exclusively local german moorland sheep, heidschnucke.