This beech has been through a lot in its 100th anniversary. It has lost its main shoot, has put on a lot of rotten spots and the neighboring trees on the right restrict the light space. All of this usually means the end, not with this tree. The beech formed a replacement crown, the side shoot initially oriented itself to the left to the light and then grew purposefully upwards. It has made it within 10 years and towers over its neighbors by several centimeters. With the help of the sun, it can now constantly produce vital nutrients in the leaves.
Replacement Crown: It is quite simply a survival strategy nothing else. The damage can be caused by lightning strikes, or if a neighboring tree falls and the crown is torn off, mostly storm events are the cause. The damaged area cannot be overgrown quickly enough; rot areas inevitably arise. The tree may have received enough sun beforehand, but if suddenly a few meters are missing it becomes critical. It is important to develop side shoots and look for the way up. This can lead to the strangest twists and turns. Pay attention to it when you walk through the woods.
We cross the next crossroads straight ahead and now run through the Winterrangen forest department, with a tree population of 120 years and more.