Because of its dark color, oak is in high demand. A stately example can be found on the outskirts of Wadlhausen.
Icking – “The best hams grow on the oak trees,” recites forester Robert Nörr as he strokes the deeply furrowed bark. The stately deciduous tree that stands in the sunlight on the edge of Wadlhausen is around 130 years old. “In the past, people deliberately left large oak trees standing and drove the pigs there,” says the expert. “They then fed on the acorns.”
More susceptible to wet snow
Pig fattening and hunting are common reasons why there are always some beautiful old oak trees in the Oberland, reports the forester. Nevertheless, the tree with its distinctive leaves is not found very often in our country. “It is more susceptible to wet snow, and it has been too cold so far,” explains Nörr. “The first extensive oak forests are already growing at the slightly higher temperatures on Lake Ammersee.” And in even warmer areas such as Lower Franconia, the oak can assert itself well against competing tree species because of its high tolerance to drought. “In the face of climate change, the oak is certainly one of the winners here in the Oberland,” adds the expert.
There are actually two types of oak: the sessile and the English oak. In the common oak, the “cap” of the acorns has a long stem; in the sessile oak, they are clustered “in a cluster” on the branch. According to Nörr, the distinction becomes difficult when the two species interbreed, which is not all that rare. “It’s generally easy in the Oberland,” says the Wolfratshauser. “The English oak is particularly at home here.”
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The example in Wadlhausen in the municipality of Icking is one such. The oak is over 1.20 meters thick, and the owner “definitely doesn’t want to cut it down because he likes it” – even though it has lost a fairly thick branch and a neighboring, much younger beech tree is making life difficult for it. “If you don’t cut it away, it will grow completely over the oak,” says Nörr. If the forest owner does not take action in the next 30 years, “there will be nothing left of the oak tree,” fears the forester. “But the forest owner is active, he takes care of his forest.”
Oak trees can live for 1,000 years or more. They are also stable. With its powerful pole-like roots, it penetrates even the densest clay soils. In contrast to most other tree species, it also has little effect on standing water. Only on gravel it doesn't root quite as deeply, but still better than all other trees. “Together with the fir, it is the stabilizer of our forests,” says Nörr. The oak also plays a key role in forest nature conservation. According to Nörr, it is one of the tree species with the most insects and butterflies.
Characteristic taste note
The demand for oak began to increase about 20 years ago, and the dark wood is still in fashion. “The prices are many times higher than for other tree species,” reports Nörr. This was confirmed during the valuable timber tender in February of this year in St. Heinrich. An oak tree from Valley near Holzkirchen led the field. With just under six cubic meters and a total value of over 5,100 euros, it was the most expensive trunk. In order to achieve such a dream result, the forest owner must ensure that the tree grows as straight as possible and has few branches. “Then, ideally, you can make veneer out of it,” says Nörr. The trunk is cut into wooden sheets that are just a few millimeters thick. This can be used to refine wood materials or chipboard. “You can get over 1,000 square meters of veneer from an oak tree like this,” estimates Nörr. “That’s why this tree is very valuable.” And which wine connoisseur would want to do without the barrique taste, the typical taste of oak barrels? This also gives whiskey and brandies their distinctive character.
By the way: It's not just pigs who like acorns. Jays and squirrels also like them. The birds and squirrels are also a great help to forest owners and foresters in spreading the oak tree. In clearer places and when the deer population is not too high, the acorns they spread and are forgotten in the winter can develop into young trees and later into stately oaks.
series
What special trees are there in the district? Where does the Highest stand? Which one is the fattest? With the help of the Office for Food, Agriculture and Forestry in Holzkirchen, we want to present special specimens in no particular order under the title “From the Root to the Crown”.
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