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Dispute over chamois shelling in Tölzer Land - "Far from a threatening situation"

2022-06-23T09:06:29.971Z


Dispute over chamois shelling in Tölzer Land - "Far from a threatening situation" Created: 06/23/2022, 11:00 am By: Felicitas Bogner Chamois find ideal living conditions in the Alps - now it has become clear: the population in the Bavarian mountains is not as low as some thought. © LWF In an interview with our newspaper, the head of the Tölz forestry operation, Rudolf Plochmann, talks about th


Dispute over chamois shelling in Tölzer Land - "Far from a threatening situation"

Created: 06/23/2022, 11:00 am

By: Felicitas Bogner

Chamois find ideal living conditions in the Alps - now it has become clear: the population in the Bavarian mountains is not as low as some thought.

© LWF

In an interview with our newspaper, the head of the Tölz forestry operation, Rudolf Plochmann, talks about the latest findings on the population of chamois in the Karwendel.

He feels confirmed in his previous work.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen -

It is a landmark of the Bavarian Alps.

The symbolic animal can even be found in the Jachenau coat of arms.

But beyond that, the chamois polarizes again and again.

After all, there has been a long-running argument about their shelling for years.

However, research results from wildlife monitoring in the Karwendel have now revealed that chamois in Bavaria are doing better than many thought.

However, the news does not come as a surprise to one person: Rudolf Plochmann, the manager of the Tölz forestry operation.

While the Free State was often in the line of fire of animal rights activists because of its dealings with the rock climbers, Plochmann now sees his actions confirmed.

In an interview, he explains his approach to chamois shelling and the reasons for it.

Mr. Plochmann, research results revealed what you have been saying about chamois for many years...

I'm not surprised.

We have been approaching the subject of chamois stocks from many different angles for years.

Among other things, we count the chamois above the tree line or look at the state of forest regeneration.

That is why our estimates are not far off from what scientists have now discovered using more complex methods.

I'm happy and grateful about it and I hope that the discussion will finally become more objective.

times from the front.

Where can you find chamois here?

In the Isarwinkel they are found in the mountain forest and almost everywhere above the tree line.

That is their natural habitat.

Is it true that the animals are moving more and more into the woods because of the many recreational athletes?

The increasing disturbances caused by humans play a major role in the entire ecosystem.

Mainly because the disturbances have increased in the early morning and late evening hours compared to before.

This also has to do with e-bikes.

More people are coming up the mountain and can stay there longer because they are back in the valley faster.

Hoofed game in general and also the chamois are mainly active in the twilight times.

When disturbed, they seek out covery terrain—that is, forests.

As a result, the bite increases there.

This is particularly problematic in winter, when the metabolism of the chamois is reduced.

The animals move little and need less food than in summer.

If they are disturbed and forced to flee, their need for energy and therefore food increases.

How do the animals meet the increased need for food?

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The consequence is in turn a stronger browsing of the forest regeneration.

Rudolf Plochmann manages the Tölz forestry operation.

© Peter Kornatz

When does this lead to problems?

It's like many things in life.

It's the dose that counts.

It becomes difficult when the number and concentration in certain areas becomes too great, there is too much damage in the forest and an imbalance occurs.

Because the chamois regulates the competitive situation between the young trees and thus the future forest composition by browsing.

What do you mean?

Essentially we have beech, spruce, fir and maple in the local mixed mountain forest.

They vary in popularity among chamois – pine buds obviously taste particularly good and are therefore bitten the hardest.

However, if a tree species is preferred to be bitten, it will lag behind in growth, will be overgrown by the other tree species and eventually become dark.

In this way, one tree species is sorted out.

This is called the selective effect of the bite.

Increasing disturbances by recreational athletes lead to more browsing in the mountain forests

Where does this cause problems?

On the one hand, of course, we want to preserve the fir everywhere as a key tree species in our mixed mountain forest.

It is incredibly important and indispensable for our forests in terms of climate change.

On the other hand, browsing can cause major problems, especially in so-called protective forests.

These forests are extremely important as protection against falling rocks, avalanches or mudslides.

Unfortunately, there are a number of areas in which the protective forest is currently not in a good condition.

Mistakes in the past such as overexploitation, excessive grazing but also excessive stocks of red deer and chamois have resulted in no more young growth and the described protective functions are massively endangered.

Here the foresters have to actively intervene and plant trees for the next forest generation.

But this can only succeed

if the browsing by game is kept as low as possible through intensive hunting.

In some areas, the closed season has even been lifted and chamois are hunted all year round.

It's not pretty, but it's essential for a while.

By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Bad Tölz newsletter.

Where in the Tölzer Land are such areas?

Protective forests in need of rehabilitation are mostly above roads and towns that are at risk of avalanches and falling rocks if there are no forests.

One example is the steep protective forest above the main road from Sylvenstein to the Achenpass.

Here the foresters have been working intensively for decades for a new forest generation, because the road has to be closed again and again due to the danger of avalanches.

When can you see the results of this?

You can already see the first results.

But trees grow slowly in the mountains.

Decades of hard work still await until the protective forest is completely renovated.

I won't experience that again.

We work for the generations after us and have to come to terms with what our forefathers left behind.

It's a generational contract.

Plochmann: "It's all about the balance"

How many chamois can the forest tolerate?

Nobody here can name serious numbers.

As many as possible, as long as browsing does not prevent forest regeneration.

Since chamois, red deer and roe deer cannot be counted in the forest, we take the browsing as a yardstick.

This is also determined every three years in the form of a vegetation report by the state forest administration.

If the forest with all its tree species rejuvenates, the game population is also right.

The chamois is currently on the pre-warning level of the Red List.

Do you think this classification is legitimate?

The early warning level is not very threatening per se.

Red List – that always sounds striking.

But we are far from a threatening situation.

Apart from that, I don't find this classification in the Isarwinkel justified.

How many chamois were shot in your hunting ground in 2021?

We shoot around 400 chamois a year in the Tölzer district.

What is your goal with regard to wildlife in the forest?

To maintain a healthy forest with game.

A forest without game is unimaginable, but neither is a mountain forest without fir trees.

It's all about balance.

Interview: Felicitas Bogner

You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.

Source: merkur

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