Old forests, new experiences, with Luca, the stag beetle
Luca lived for 5 years as a larva in the dead wood of an old oak. Then, in one summer, he developed into an impressive beetle 7.5 cm long.
Luca the stag beetle takes you on a tour down the nature trail from the Naturum forest museum through the Göhrde. The tour takes 2 – 3 hours. For a long time, the Göhrde served as both royal and imperial hunting grounds and is known for its historic, old forests and the related biodiversity. It is part of the Drawehn Ridge, a terminal moraine formed during the Ice Ages, and it is covered with old oak and beech forests as well as coniferous trees.
Since 1991, the Göhrde has been cultivated according to the principles of “Long-term ecological forest development”, or LÖWE. The LÖWE concept is explained at many stops along the nature trail, including the three-stage, near natural forest edge, the forests on the slopes of the Katemin creek valley, and the protection of special biotopes such as the one in the Kollase bottoms. Here are sparse forests with fruit-bearing, large-crowned oaks, also known as wood pastures, which provided forage for large herds of livestock until well into the 19th century.
The natural beech forest grows in dry, sandy soil that is lacking nutrients. It was planted 130 years ago. Since 1995, the state forestry service has chosen not to use this natural forest in any way.
Shortly following this forest, you will discover the Wiekau hollow. Originally, it served as a water source for a medieval village; now it’s an idyllic pond in the middle of the woods. Along the way, more LÖWE principles are explained in the distinctive forest windows. In the forest museum, you can also get a trail booklet.