Living, dynamic systems.

Natural, ancient beech forests.

They are home to many animals and plants.

They are globally unique.

But these forests have become extremely rare.

The originally widespread beech forests of Europe have now been reduced to scattered islands.

Many of our deciduous forests have disappeared during centuries of use.

They have completely vanished, converted into arable land and settlements.

Beech forests are important because they are typical features of Central Europe.

A major habitat for many plant and animal species:

home to an estimated 10,000 animal, plant and fungi species.

The ancient beech forests in Jasmund national park on Rügen,

[and] Müritz national park in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,

the Grumsin woodland in the Schorfheide-Chorin biosphere reserve in Brandenburg,

the Hainich forests in Thuringia,

and Kellerwald-Edersee in Hesse -

these became a UNESCO World Heritage property in 2011.

In addition to the five ancient beech forests,

there are two other natural phenomena in Germany that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List:

the Messel Pit in Hesse and the German-Dutch transboundary Wadden Sea,

with the three Wadden Sea national parks in Germany: in Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg.

The Messel Pit was the first German natural heritage site to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995 due to its outstanding wealth of fossils.

The former mine in Messel, Hesse, gives a unique insight into the early development of mammals.

This was followed - in 2009 - by the Wadden Sea.

Around 10,000 square kilometres from Sylt to northern Holland,

shaped by a constant change between high and low tide,

are a unique habitat for over 10,000 different species.

They provide a resting area for between 10 and 12 million birds every year.

With a coastline of around 400 km, the Wadden Sea plays a crucial role in conserving global biodiversity.

But what exactly is a UNESCO World Heritage property?

The UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted in 1972.

Natural phenomena and cultural sites of outstanding value can be declared universal heritage of mankind – and these form the World Heritage List.

The 188 state parties are committed to providing special protection for world heritage properties and to conserving them for future generations.

An intergovermental body - the World Heritage Committee -is responsible for inscribing properties on the World Heritage List.

Once a year, the 21 members from all continents and cultures review new applications for inscription and the conservation status of existing World Heritage properties.

The most important selection criterion is outstanding universal value.

Additionally, natural heritage properties must be intact and cultural heritage properties must satisfy the criteria of authenticity.

And adequate management must be guaranteed to ensure the long-term conservation of inscribed properties.

In 2011, the ancient beech forests of Germany were awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage property.

They form a joint World Heritage property with the primeval beech forests of the Carpathians in the Slovak Republic and Ukraine.

These impressive forests are worthy of protection.

A unique habitat of outstanding value.