It was a minor sensation when, in 2015, parts of the monastery forest near Maria Eich were officially placed under protection by the Free State of Bavaria and the nature conservation authorities. The reason for a biodiversity project that started back then, in which the municipality of Planegg, the archdiocese of Munich and Freising, the Maria Eich monastery, the Munich district office and the Bavarian state forests are involved, was more than 50 oak and hornbeam trees, some of which were up to 300 years old. Here, in the so-called Hutewald, numerous insects live in the dead wood, above all the so-called jungle beetles, which are just as rare in Bavaria as intact oak forests.
According to a report by the Munich forestry company, the Maria Eich monastery forest is “of great importance in terms of nature conservation and cultural history”. The forest should therefore be left in its current state as far as possible and should not be entered. However, the forest authorities have now decided to comb through the grove around the valuable trees, especially pedunculate oaks.
This means, among other things, that wood and smaller trees around the ancient giants are felled. The old oaks are to receive more light, sun and heat, which, according to the experts, promotes the emergence of biotope tree structures. The deforestation should start at the beginning of February and proceed very sensitively and gently. State-of-the-art, special machines that are only allowed to drive on previously defined routes are used. The work should be carried out by specially trained forest workers. At times there may be closures in the area of the monastery.