Natural monument Dicke Tannen

A site of the mighty spruces of northern Germany with a height of over 50 meters and a trunk diameter of 100 to 180 centimeters.
Dicke Tannen, which are protected since 1989 as a natural monument, is an area natural monument of about 4.2 hectares, which is located about 1.5 km southwest of Hohegeiß.
The red firs, which are popularly known as "Rottannen" and which can be up to 350 years old, were first mentioned in forestry documents at the end of the 18th century and their survival is specifically due to the steep and wind-protected location on the slopes of the narrow Wolfsbach valley.
Because of its size, it was hardly possible to keep up with the axes and saws of that time, and the transport of the wood also proved to be practically impossible. Among other things, this area has not been used for forestry for more than 200 years, so the area has a virgin forest-like impression.
In 1900 there were about 120 trees and now there are only 23 healthy trees. The reaching of the natural age limit or also the change of the environmental conditions might have contributed to it.
For safety reasons, the old hiking trail through the core area of the Thick Firs is closed, but much can be discovered from the new trail. The natural monument represents in the Harzer Wandernadel the stamp point No. 45.