Nature without borders Area The Reserve through the ages Natural heritage Cultural and architectural heritage Inhabitants, activities and traditions

Forest milieux   Open milieux    Wetlands    Rupiculous milieux   Beech forest Oak forests Alder groves Pine-woods on peat Other forest milieux Beech forest       Beech forest, which thrives in acid soils, is the climactic forest in the Reserve. That is to say it is the forest that grows naturally in the prevailing soil (Vosges sandstone) and climatic conditions in the RBT. One of the plant species found there is highly typical of acid-loving beech forest: the snowy woodrush (Luzula nivea) comes from the rush family. It owes its name to the colour of its inflorescence. The woodrush has white hairs on the edge of its leaves. Wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosela), woodruff, hair-moss, maianthemum bifolium and numerous ferns are amongst other plants to be found there. Wood sorrel © Michel Rauch Amongst typical birds are the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), the stock dove, and Tengalm's owl. These species take advantage of the many old trees as they nest in holes in them. woodpecker © SYCOPARC   A number of mammals live in the beech woods as they do in the other types of forest: red deer, roe deer, wild boar, foxes, badgers, wildcat (Felis silvestris), and doormice. Wildcat © Freddy Schaeffer Lynx (Lynx lynx) exist but are few and far between in all these forests. Lynx © SYCOPARC The European Commission (Habitat Directory) has classed the forest as a habitat of special interest (FFH Directive). Frequently found on the edge of fields, Baumgart's campanula is endemic in Vosges du Nord-Pfälzerwald © Michel Rauch