Totholz

ist eigentlich ein völlig falscher Name dafür, denn in ihm leben eine Fülle von Lebewesen, die nur in diesem einzigartigen Lebensraum zu Hause sind.
Fehlen kranke Bäume mit diesem Holz, dann sterben auch die davon abhängigen Arten aus.

Pilze

Pilze und ihr Pilzgeflecht durchdringen das Holz und machen es „weich“.
So bildet das Holz und auch der Pilz selbst, die Nahrungsgrundlage spezialisierter Insektenarten, wie Holzwespen, Fliegen und Mücken, Ameisen und Schmetterlingen. Diese locken ihrerseits wieder räuberische Nachfolger an, z.B. Schnellkäfer oder Schröter.

Käfer

Allein bei den Käfern (Coleoptera) sind in Deutschland etwa 1.500 Arten an die vielfältigen Erscheinungsformen von Alt- und Totholz gebunden. Je weniger Altbäume wir haben, umso schwieriger wird es für sie ihr Überleben zu sichern.

Risse/Spalten

In alten Bäumen gibt es wesentlich mehr Verstecke, in denen Fledermäuse tagsüber schlafen und sogar ihre Jungen aufziehen. Jeder Altbaum kann als Chance für den Erhalt der Fledermausfauna gesehen werden.

Höhlen

Über Baumhöhlen freuen sich nicht nur Spechte, sondern auch viele andere baumhöhlenbewohnende Vogelarten. Häufige Nachmieter sind z.B. Baummarder, Eichhörnchen, Fledermäuse, Hohltauben, Stare, Wildbienen oder Hornissen.

Hello, you! (:

Glad you found your way here and want to get to know me better.

I am a habitat tree.
Something like an insect hotel, only for very special guests.
You don't have to build me, and you can't buy me. I am in your environment and probably have been for more than 50 years. Many of us are felled because people often want to have something new and "nicer". But often this action is not so good - especially not for nature.

On these pages you will learn why I am so important for many living beings and how YOU can also make yourself strong for me.

Checker knowledge

Habitat tree

Habi, what?
The most important word in the term habitat tree is habitat. The word comes from Latin and means "dwelling". It refers to a habitat that is a typical residence for certain animal and plant species. Thus, very specific species live in Habitat trees.

Deadwood

Dead wood, or wood that is undergoing some decomposition, is essential to the survival of some species. Stag beetles, for example, depend on such structures. So do many other beetle species, only they are unfortunately not as imposing as our largest beetle in Germany, but hopefully just as worthy of protection, right?

Bats

In habitat trees, there are crevices and cracks where bats feel at home, either as their main residence or as a resting place during the day. Because bats are nocturnal, they are rarely seen. This makes it so hard to protect their home.

Substrate

Inside habitat trees, there is what is called substrate. This is the material on which a species lives, the bedroom or dining room, so to speak. Without the substrate, no species can live, and this substrate is often only found in old trees.

Unfortunately, a habitat tree does not look very nice to many adults.

For starters, it does not meet "aesthetic requirements", as we would say. As it has few leaves and even sometimes the bark crumbles off a bit. But of course, neat appearance is not everything in life.

Just think of a habitat tree as the attic in your home. - It's much nicer if it's a bit untidy, isn't it? Nature likes that very much, too.

Animals often feel especially comfortable when they...

...have many partners to choose from. This guarantees a relatively broad genetic makeup and thus a healthy life.

...can live undisturbed and can choose their home freely.

...can find enough food without having to worry.

...do not have to travel such long distances to find a new home.

That's why habitat trees are so important!