The Weipelsdorf district, home to the municipal forestry administration office, is located in the municipality of Bischberg in the district of Bamberg. The barn at the renovated Weipelsdorf forest lodge also houses the farm shop, which sells game specialties. The district covers approximately 420 hectares and is part of the Michelsberg Forest.
The Citizens' Hospital
Forestry and pond management
The forest holdings of the Bamberg Citizens' Hospital Foundation can be traced back to the holdings of the predecessor foundations of St. Katharina and St. Elisabeth from the 13th century and were first documented in 1276. It is now the corporation with the largest forest holdings in Upper Franconia, currently covering approximately 1,100 hectares, and has three private hunting grounds that are managed by the foundation.
Weipelsdorf district
Tretzendorf district
Sassendorf district
Ecology
Sustainability in the Bamberg Citizens' Hospital Foundation forest is of great importance, if only because of climate change. The Bavarian Forest Act lays down the legal framework for forest conversion and sustainable management.
Even though the obligation to fulfill the foundation's purpose places clear economic demands on the management of the forest, ecological aspects are by no means neglected. For example, no chemical protective agents are used in the forest and access to the areas is restricted.
The role that ecology plays in the Bürgerspitalstiftung forest is also illustrated by its participation in the Free State of Bavaria's contractual nature conservation program and the management of the foundation's forest according to the principles of “natural forestry” for more than 30 years. This nature-oriented form of forest management works without clear-cut areas and with a mixed and tiered forest in permanent forest form. Improving biodiversity is a key focus of daily forestry work. Utilization is based on the growth of the forest stands.
Currently, the focus is on increasing reserves, but above all on significantly increasing the value of the stands. In recent years, all pure coniferous areas have been supplemented with deciduous trees. Improving the quality of the humus significantly increases growth, operational safety, and biodiversity.