Natural forest communities are biocoenoses of innumerable species and are therefore particularly important for biodiversity, ie the abundance of life. Near-natural mountain forests of the low mount
ain ranges and the Alps offer protection against erosion, flooding, drought, rockfall and avalanches. Together with the peatlands they are important for the climate. The forests generate drinking water, filter the air, cool the landscape and store carbon. More than half of Germany consists of mountainous areas, which are mostly forested.
