The grinden emerged mainly as a result of human influence. The growth of the population in the 14th century meant that the pastures of the Black Forest valleys were no longer sufficient for the grazing of cattle. For this reason, cattle and goats were driven to pasture on the flat highlands with their open stands of trees. The so-called Weidbrennen or pasture-burning at the end of the grazing year hindered the growth of trees, promoted the growth of grass and increased the areas for grazing. Through the use of the highlands as pasture the land nearer the villages could be used for the production of hay. However overgrazing of the highlands led to soil compaction and a loss of nutrients by the 16th century. The result was that the land became waterlogged and bogs formed due to the high level of precipitation of up to 2,200 mm/year. These processes led to the formation of the grinden.
