On Christmas Day 1999 winter storm “Lothar” devastated large areas of forest in Southern Germany. Storm damage is part of natural forest dynamics. For the local economy, however, the damage caused by “Lothar” was an economic catastrophe, and most areas were cleared and reforested within months. The forested areas of the lack Forest are indeed an essential part of the local economic system and an important basis for landscape-oriented hiking tourism.In parallel with this clearing-up process, a very unconventional idea materialized in the visitor centre at Ruhestein. A 10-hectare site on top of the Northern Black Forest Mountain Range, belonging to the state of Baden-Württemberg, was left undisturbed as a monitoring area for natural forest dynamics. This concept followed the innovative idea in German national parks of leaving nature to itself and avoiding all human-induced changes. Originally the concept was conceived as a sort of outdoor laboratory to observe the process of natural reforestation. But due to growing interest on the part of the general public concerning the consequences of the winter storm, it was decided to open up the area to allow everyone a chance to gain personal insight.
