Historical Land Use of the Dry Grasslands in the Area of the Biosphere Reserve "Flusslandschaft Elbe"

Abstract

Dry grasslands are important elements of the cultural landscape in the area of the Biosphere Reserve "Fluálandschaft Elbe”. They already occured in parts on sandy soils in the natural landscape. The dry grasslands experienced a larger expansion however only by the land use of man, which began very early in the area of the Middle Elbe. Today's dry grassland sites were preferentially settled prehistoric time already. The process of the reduction of the forests in favour of heathlands and dry grasslands due to wood use, litter raking, turf cutting and especially the grazing, beginning in the Middle Ages, continued till into the 18th and 19th century. Only the gradual advances in agriculture as well as systematic forest management led to a reduction of the dry grasslands again. The creation of new sites by the construction of dams and sandpits as well as by military use and some leisure activities somewhat worked against this development. But since the reunification in 1990 at the latest the use of many areas has changed or stopped. At the moment regular land use of dry grasslands is to be found only within recent floodplains as well as on dykes. For the nature conservation the conclusion is to be drawn that a land use in particular in the form of grazing is essential for the sustainable conservation of most dry grasslands. By the recognition of this part of the Elbe as Biosphere Reserve the basis for that is laid.