Harz National Park is a nature reserve located in the German states of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. It covers parts of the western Harz mountain range, from Herzberg and Bad Lauterberg in the south to Bad Harzburg and Ilsenburg in the north. Ninety-five percent of the area is covered with forests, primarily spruce and beech woods, along with bogs, granite rocks, and streams. The park is part of the Natura 2000 network of the European Union.

In its current form, the park was created on January 1, 2006, by combining the Harz National Park in Lower Saxony, established in 1994, and the Upper Harz National Park in Saxony-Anhalt, established in 1990. Because the former inner German border ran through the Harz, large areas were off-limits, and except for military structures, they had not been disturbed for many years. Today, the park covers parts of the districts of Goslar, Göttingen, and Harz.

Rare animals in the Harz National Park include the white-throated dipper, black stork, peregrine falcon, European wildcat, and especially the Eurasian lynx. The last lynx in the Harz Mountains was shot in 1818, but in 1999, a reintroduction project began. Since 2002, several lynxes have had offspring. An attempt to bring back the western capercaillie did not succeed.

Geography

The Harz National Park covers 24,700 hectares, which is about 10% of the total area of the Harz. It is located in the western part of the Harz (see Upper Harz) and extends from Wernigerode and Ilsenburg in the north to Herzberg and Bad Lauterberg in the south. Near the park’s edges, the land is approximately 230 meters above sea level in the north and 270 meters above sea level in the south. The highest point is Brocken, which reaches a height of 1,141.1 meters above sea level.

Several rivers begin within the national park, including the Bode, the Oder, and the Ilse, which is a tributary of the Oker. The Oder flows south and is collected in the historic Oderteich reservoir, completed in 1722 to provide water for mines in Sankt Andreasberg. It then flows into the Oder Dam on the southeastern edge of the park. Other dams and lakes near or within the park include the Ecker Dam and the Silberteich. The highest elevations in the park are Brocken, Bruchberg, and Achtermann.

History

The current Nationalpark Harz was created on January 1, 2006, by combining the original park in Lower Saxony with the High Harz National Park (Nationalpark Hochharz) in Saxony-Anhalt. Since the merger, Andreas Pusch has been the leader of this large nature conservation area.

The Upper Harz National Park was established on October 1, 1990, as part of the East German government's national park program. This was two days before Germany was reunited. The park covered parts of the eastern Harz region, from the Ecker Dam and the town of Ilsenburg in the north to Schierke in the south, including the Brocken area. This region has remained largely untouched by human activity, partly because it is near the old border between East and West Germany. Before 1961, Brocken was accessible with an easy-to-obtain permit. However, on August 13, 1961, it became a restricted area, and visitors were no longer allowed. In the mid-1980s, problems like bark beetles and fungi began to affect the Harz region. These issues, along with the hope for a better future after Germany's reunification, led to the creation of the national park. On January 1, 1991, a national park headquarters was opened in Wernigerode under the leadership of Hubertus Hlawatsch. Hlawatsch was later replaced by Peter Gaffert, who managed the eastern park until its merger with the western Harz National Park on January 1, 2006.

The Lower Saxon part of the park was opened on January 1, 1994, after four years of planning. Dr. Wolf-Eberhard Barth was a key person in starting this project. Although both states discussed combining the parks soon after reunification, it took 12 more years before they were officially merged.

The Harz National Park is part of the European organization EUROPARC Federation, which includes national parks, biosphere reserves, and nature parks across Europe. This group focuses on sharing information, training, and public outreach. The German branch, EUROPARC Deutschland, also helped merge several large conservation areas in Germany.

In 2005, the national park was added to the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas.

As of December 31, 2007, the park employs 188 people. Of these, 59 work at the main office in Wernigerode or its branch in Sankt Andreasberg OT Oderhaus. The 40 rangers, who are also called park wardens, lead guided tours and help with environmental education, including maintaining information signs and park buildings.

Ecology

The natural forests of the High Harz are mostly made up of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia). Deciduous trees are more common below 600 meters above sea level. In the 19th century, parts of the Harz were cut down for mining. To fix this, the count's head forester, Hans Dietrich von Zanthier, created a plan to plant spruce trees that grow quickly. This led to large areas of forests with only spruce trees. Unlike "Harz pine," pines from other regions do not handle snow and ice as well in the Harz and are more likely to be attacked by bark beetles.

Today, 82 percent of the forest is covered by spruce trees. Only 12 percent are beech trees, and the remaining 6 percent include species like oak, rowan, and birch (as of December 2007).

The Harz National Park has different areas with different types of plants. Above 1050 meters, the "battle zone" of spruce trees is found. These trees can be over 250 years old and bent by the wind. However, dwarf shrub heaths and raised bogs (Hochmoore) are more common here. Between 750 and 1050 meters, the altimontane zone is dominated by spruce. These areas are near Schierke and Torfhaus. Between 450 and 750 meters, the montane zone has beech forests. The most common type of beech forest is the Hainsimsen beech forest. At higher elevations, spruce and beech trees often grow together. However, in the national park, most of these areas have been replaced by spruce. In Ilsenburg, spruce trees now grow even at 230 meters above sea level. These spruce trees are not native to the area and have suffered more from bark beetle infestations due to climate change. The National Park Service is now replanting these areas to help beech and maple trees return.

The Brocken anemone (Pulsatilla alpina subsp. alba) grows only on the Brocken plateau in Germany. Its survival has been threatened by increased tourism since German reunification. The Brocken Garden, a botanical garden on Brocken, focuses on protecting plant species and restoring the summit area.

Raised bogs in the Harz are important for nature conservation. These bogs formed from restored marshland are less affected by human activity than bogs in the Lower Saxony plain. In the past, people tried to use peat from these bogs for fuel, but this was not profitable due to poor weather and the low energy value of peat. The bogs in the Harz are internationally significant because of their unique features and plant life.

Lynx now live wild in the Harz again after being wiped out in the early 19th century. The last recorded lynx hunt in the Harz was in 1818, when a male lynx was killed in Lautenthal by about 200 people. A stone called the Lynx Stone marks this event. In 1999, lynx were reintroduced to the area. Between 2000 and 2004, 19 lynx were released from zoo breeding programs. Before release, the lynx were kept in a large enclosure to help them adjust to living freely. A viewing area near the National Park forest restaurant on the Rabenklippe allows visitors to see the lynx. Since 2002, lynx kittens have been born in the wild. In March, a male lynx was fitted with a GPS tracker to monitor its movements. The project team receives updates via SMS from the tracker.

Another reintroduction project was for the capercaillie, which disappeared from the Harz between 1920 and 1930. The project began in 1978, with about 1,000 birds raised and released. Despite this, the population was not stable, and the project ended in 2003.

The Harz is now one of Germany's most important habitats for wild cats. These cats are classified as seriously endangered in the country. It is believed that the wild cat population in the Harz is stable and widespread, especially in warmer, richer areas with more food, such as lower deciduous forests.

In addition to lynx and wild cats, red deer and roe deer are important species in the Harz National Park.

The most common invasive species in the park is the raccoon, though raccoon dogs are also occasionally seen. Mouflon, a type of wild sheep introduced for hunting in the 1930s, is also found in the park.

Recently, the Harz National Park has faced problems like bark beetle outbreaks, acid rain, and other environmental issues. The number of bark beetles has increased due to climate change and global warming. Since 2006, there has been more damage from bark beetles. Hurricane Kyrill also caused serious damage in the region, tearing down many trees, especially spruce. The National Park management faced criticism from local communities over the measures taken to control the bark beetles, such as using machines like harvesters. Due to the difficult terrain, there was no other way to remove fallen trees from affected areas.

In the natural development zone of the Harz National Park, which surrounds the core area, bark beetle measures are taken when needed. Plantations are also established to help the forest develop naturally. To protect beech and oak groves, wildlife management is required. Claims that hunting had occurred in the park were found to be false.

Zoning

The Harz National Park is recognized by the IUCN (World Conservation Union) as a national park, which is classified as a Category II protected area in the IUCN system. To meet this classification, at least 75% of the park’s area must be designated as a natural biodiversity zone, also called a core zone. In this area, nature must remain undisturbed. If the park does not reach this 75% threshold, it may be classified as a developing national park. It can still be considered a national park if it meets the requirements within 30 years.

Currently, the Harz National Park is classified as a developing national park. About 60.3% of its area is designated as a natural biodiversity or core zone. The goal is to increase this to more than 75% by 2020.

Approximately 38.5% of the park is still a nature development zone. In this area, actions based on the forest development concept are carried out. The aim is to convert as much of this zone as possible into a natural biodiversity zone.

A portion of the park is designated as a utilisation zone. This includes areas important for tourism or historically and culturally significant places, such as the Brocken summit or mountain meadows. Conservation efforts will continue in these areas.

Additionally, within a 500-meter-wide strip along the edge of the national park, measures are being implemented to protect nearby areas.