Gillenbachtal

Large parts of the protected area are characterised by a forest gorge with steep slopes, fallen trees and eroded rocks. The conservation purpose is to preserve a species-rich mixed deciduous forest with a high proportion of old and dead wood, orchards with historical and native fruit varieties, nutrient-poor smooth oat meadows, fragments of semi-arid grassland, an occurrence of calcareous sedge meadows, various orchid species and secondary limestone cliffs. The orchid area is located on a damp slope and thus differs fundamentally from the orchid meadows on dry calcareous grassland typical of the region. In order to avoid damage caused by footprints, maintenance measures can only be carried out in winter when there is permafrost and the ground is frozen.