30.10.2025
The Grumsin Beech-Forest is a true natural gem! It is located near Berlin in the heart of the UNESCO Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve and has itself been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011!
What is so special about the Beech, which is actually called the common Beech, or more scientifically, "Fagus Sylvatica"? It is extremely resilient and exceptionally adaptable. Nowhere else on Earth has a single tree species conquered large parts of an entire continent in such a short time as the common Beech did in Europe after the last Ice Age.
Originally, Beech forests dominated almost all of Europe. Today, these primeval habitats have become rare – and are all the more worthy of protection. Beech forests provide an important habitat for biodiversity and contribute significantly to protecting our climate. You can learn exactly how Beech trees do this, which animals they provide shelter and food for, and how all this relates to their UNESCO World Heritage status, in our created audio tours for adults. They are available in German, English, and Polish.
For the German tour, we were once again able to secure the well-known GEO reporter and science journalist Dirk Steffens as our narrator. He was already in our studio for the audio tour of the "Planet Ocean" exhibition at the Gasometer center in Oberhausen. It was wonderful that he was with us again this time to convey the fascination of this special forest with his distinctive voice and audible enthusiasm. Our talented voices Maria Rabl and Albert Bozesan can be heard in the English audio version, Alina Kamińska and Maciej Słota in the Polish audio version.
The audio tours are available on any smartphone via our GuideApp and come along with a map, location indicator, and GPS. Each listening station provides fascinating information, including some original comments from ranger Christina Winter and the staff of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. As soon as an APP user approaches a listening station, a gentle signal sounds. This allows the user to keep his smartphone in his pocket, while hiking, without missing an audio station. And because nature isn't always visible on cue, many photos in our GuideApp also show hidden highlights, such as the Moor Frog, Wood Sorrel, or Sedge Cotton Grass.
Enjoy this fascinating tour!
Photos: © Tilo Geisel