Fichtelberg about the former composition of the forest. The main tree species of the Hercynian mixed forest of the highlands - the silver fir ("Abies alba"), European beech ("Fagus sylvatica") and Norway spruce ("Picea abies") - occurred in roughly equal proportions of around 30% on the ridgelines. Old church records and forest assessments contain descriptions of the original condition of the forest, showing that the Fichtelberg was covered by mixed forest consisting of the aforementioned tree species. The present dominance of the spruce is primarily a result of human influence. Improper management such as deforestation and high populations of game steadily
Cepaea sylvatica Cepaea sylvatica " Cepaea sylvatica" is a medium-sized species of air-breathing dextral land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Helicidae. It is a close relative of the grove snail ("Cepaea nemoralis"). This species lives in many of the same habitats as "Cepaea nemoralis", such as woods, dunes and grassland, however "C. sylvatica" tolerates wetter and colder areas than the grove snail can tolerate. "Cepaea sylvatica" is generally similar in appearance to "C. nemoralis", although the shell is not as colorful and not as variable as that of the grove snail. Also, the diameter of the shell of