Mammutbaum-Wald

In the municipal forest of Straßenhaus, there is a very special "natural spectacle" with 60 giant sequoias: In the spring of 1971, approximately 300 giant sequoias, delivered as four-year balled plants, were planted on two experimental areas of one hectare each, located above the Jahrsbach Valley in the municipal forest of Straßenhaus (district of Wand). The giant sequoia is an endangered species that is protected by nature and species conservation laws. Beyond its native California, the sequoia has also spread to Central Europe. It can grow over 90 meters tall and reach a trunk diameter of 12 meters, as well as an age of up to 3000 years. Together with the local heritage and beautification association of Straßenhaus, the largest contiguous population of giant sequoias in the Rhine-Westerwald Nature Park has been opened up for visitors. The giant sequoia forest can easily be reached in less than a kilometer heading south from Straßenhaus via the butter path, which runs through the Verbandsgemeinde Rengsdorf. A visit is definitely worthwhile. One can enjoy the special atmosphere and tranquility under the towering giants of the forest on specially constructed forest loungers. The giant sequoias in Straßenhaus originate from four locations in America: one north of Yosemite National Park in California and three located further south. The southernmost origin is from Sequoia National Park, which is as impressive as Yosemite Park with its "Trail of 100 Giants," referring to the enormous giant sequoias.

But how did the giant sequoias end up in Straßenhaus?

In the 1960s, the oldest giant sequoias in Germany were just 100 years old and impressed with their extremely high growth power. The question arose as to whether the origin of the seeds, for example, the altitude from which they came, plays a role in growth performance and other important characteristics.

For this purpose, the Institute for Forest Genetics in Großhansdorf near Hamburg initiated an origin experiment with seeds from various locations in Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and Rhineland-Palatinate in May 1971, following the rules of experimental protocols. A significant result of the experiment is that the giant sequoias in Straßenhaus have grown the best compared to the parallel plots.

An explanation for this could be the milder climate of the comparatively warmer southern location. With the relatively high number of 60 trees now present in the Straßenhaus giant sequoia forest, there is a great likelihood that some of them may live to be several thousand or even two thousand years old. Thus, Straßenhaus has a special natural heritage that will endure well beyond our temporal horizon.

Opening times