Effects of forest management on biodiversity in temperate deciduous forests: An overview based on Central European beech forests

The Natura 2000 habitat types were defined by plant species, but the assessment of ecosystem health is based on bird species in Central Europe. A time series extending from 1927 until 2015 indicates that most non-migratory forest bird species show an increasing abundance since 1970. Adding migrating and rare bird species populations resulted in constant average abundances since 1970. There is no evidence that sustainable forest management has led to decreased biodiversity in Central Europe. In view of climate change and increasing presence of tree diseases, Europe should avoid enlarging its ecological footprint by taking Central European forests out of management.