Editing Harz National Park (section)

=== Flora ===
[[File:Scharfenstein 2.jpg|thumb|View of the Scharfenstein]]
The natural forests of the High Harz consist mainly of [[Norway spruce]] (''Picea abies'') and [[European rowan|rowan]] (''Sorbus aucuparia''); deciduous trees only dominate below {{Höhe|600|DE-NN|link=true}}. Since the Harz was partly [[deforestation|deforested]] in the 19th century by ore mining, the count's head forester, Hans Dietrich von Zanthier, developed the concept of reforestation with fast-growing spruce trees. This led to the now widespread spruce monocultures. Unlike "Harz pine", the pines introduced from other regions cope less well with snow and ice conditions in the Harz and are thus more prone to [[bark beetle]] infestation.

Currently 82 percent of the forest consists of spruce stands. Only 12 percent of the trees are beeches. The remaining 6 percent are species such as [[oak]], [[rowan]] or [[birch]] (as at December 2007).

There are various vegetation zones in the Harz National Park. In the sub-alpine area above 1050 metres is the "[[tree line|battle zone]]" of the spruce tree. Here it is not uncommon to find trees over 250 years old and bent into bizarre shapes by the wind. But predominant here are the [[dwarf shrub]] heaths and raised [[bog]]s (''Hochmoore''). The altimontane [[Altitudinal zonation|vegetation zone]] is found between {{Höhe|750|DE-NN|link=true}} and {{Höhe|1050|DE-NN}}, dominated by spruce. These areas can be found in the vicinity of Schierke and [[Torfhaus]]. Not until the montane zone between {{Höhe|450|DE-NN}} and {{Höhe|750|DE-NN}} and the submontane zone is the vegetation dominated by beech forests. Today's beech stands grow primarily on acidic soil. The most commonly encountered forest type is the ''Hainsimsen'' beech forest. At heights above 700 m it is usually adjacent to spruce-beech mixed woodland. But in the national park this area has shrunk to just a few residual stands and has been largely replaced by spruce. In the region of Ilsenburg spruce monoculture occurs even down to {{Höhe|230|DE-NN}}. In these zones the spruce is not native and, as a result of [[climate change]], it has suffered increasingly from bark beetle infestation. Currently the National Park Service is having these areas reforested to encourage the original beech and maple, that used to dominate them, to resettle.<ref>Auskunft vom Fachbereich 2 Forschung und Wissenschaft der Nationalparkverwaltung im März 2008</ref><ref name=Waldentwicklung>[http://www.nationalpark-harz.de/de/naturschuetzen/waldentwicklung/#intNavBreadcrumb Nationalpark Harz: Waldentwicklung]</ref><ref>[http://www.nationalpark-harz.de/de/naturschuetzen/waelder/#intNavBreadcrumb Nationalpark Harz: Wälder]</ref>

The Harz is home to the [[Pulsatilla alpina|Brocken anemone]] (''Pulsatilla alpina'' subsp. ''alba''), which grows in Germany only on the plateau of the Brocken. Its survival has however been especially endangered since [[German reunification]] by the onset of tourism. The [[Brocken Garden]], a [[botanical garden]] on the summit of the Brocken, deals mainly with the protection of plant species and restoration of the summit area.<ref>Vgl. Gunter Karste (2006): ''Der Brockengarten im Nationalpark Harz''. In: Sachsen-Anhalt 16 (2006), H. 4, p. 2–4. {{ISSN|0940-7960}}</ref>

Especially valuable for nature conservation, are the raised bogs formed by the restoration of former marshland. The conditions are favorable for this, as the bogs in the park are less impacted by human use than the bogs of the Lower Saxony plain. When wood became scarce in the Harz, the locals tried to take advantage of the peat bogs. This proved unprofitable due to the low [[calorific value]] of peat and the weather conditions in the High Harz. The bogs in the Harz are of international significance by virtue of their distinctiveness and flora.<ref>Vgl. Sabine Bernsdorf, Nadine Böhlmann, Ralph Meissner, Wolfgang Merbach (2003): ''Moorforschung im Harz; Entwicklung und Schutz der Moore im Nationalpark Hochharz''. In: [http://www.verwaltung.uni-halle.de/DEZERN1/PRESSE/jour-403.pdf Scientia Halensis 11 (2003), H. 4, p. 21–22, pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719103742/http://www.verwaltung.uni-halle.de/DEZERN1/PRESSE/jour-403.pdf |date=2011-07-19 }}. {{ISSN|0945-9529}}</ref><ref>[http://www.nationalpark-harz.de/de/naturschuetzen/moore/#intNavBreadcrumb Nationalpark Harz: Moore]</ref>