Forest drainage in the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park - an integrative approach

Jörn Schultheiß; Werner Konold

doi:10.3097/LO.2025.1140

Authors

Jörn Schultheiß Hochschule Geisenheim University, Competence Center Cultural Landscape, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9645-7229
Werner Konold University of Freiburg, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3097/LO.2025.1140

Keywords:

Landscape development, Forest drainage, National Park, Drainage ditches, Wetland restoration

Abstract

The management of drained wetlands has become a key focus in the implementation of climate change adaptation measures in recent years, particularly in forested areas. Questions arise regarding appropriate methods to adequately plan and implement measures for dealing with drainage structures in forests. This study developed a methodology for analyzing the historical drainage of a forested area, specifically using the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park as a case study. The park has undergone extensive wetland renaturation efforts, necessitating a profound understanding of the existing drainage ditch system. Three complementary methods were employed: historical analysis, LiDAR data investigations, and field surveys. The combined use of the three methods proved essential for accurately identifying and interpreting drainage structures in forested wetlands. Each method contributed unique strengths: historical analysis offered insights into the origin and intention of interventions, remote sensing enabled large-scale mapping, and field surveys ensured on-the-ground validation. Their integration not only reduced the risk of misinterpretation but also revealed the extent of past hydrological modifications and land use. This comprehensive approach provides a valuable foundation for climate-resilient conservation and water management strategies in forest landscapes.

References

Adam (1883). Nachweisung der in der königlichen Oberförsterei Kempfeld während des Zeitraums von 11ten October 1858 bis dahin 1880 vorgekommenen Veränderungen in dem Areale, in der Benutzungsweise des Bodens und in den Bestandsflächen. Kempfeld

Affek, A. (2016). Past Carpathian landscapes recorded in the microtopography. Geogr. Pol. 89 (3). https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0062

Affek, A.N., Wolski, J., Latocha, A., Zachwatowicz, M., Wieczorek, M. (2022). The use of LiDAR in reconstructing the pre-World War II landscapes of abandoned mountain villages in southern Poland. Archaeological Prospection 29 (1), 157–173. https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.1846

Ågren, A.M., Lidberg, W. (2019). The importance of better mapping of stream networks using high resolution digital elevation models – upscaling from watershed scale to regional and national scales. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-34

Anderson, M.G., McDonnell, J.J. (2008). Encyclopedia of hydrological sciences. J. Wiley Chichester. https://doi.org/10.1002/0470848944

Anonymous (1955). Einleitungsverhandlung Staatswald Forstamt Kempfeld. Kempfeld (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 631)

Anonymous (1963). Erläuterungsbericht zur Standortserkundung und –kartierung im Staatswald des Forstamtes Kempfeld Band II, Koblenz

Arndt, Helbron (1863). Generelle Beschreibung der Königlichen Oberförsterei Tronecken. Trier. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,032 No. 172)

Arndt, Schütz, Fristnagel (1860). Generelle Revierbeschreibung der Königlichen Oberförsterei Kempfeld. Kempfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 263)

Baudrillart (1821). Traité général des eaux et forêts, chasses et pêches. Imprimerie de Madame Huzard Paris

Burgsdorf, F.A.L. (1796). Forsthandbuch: Zweiter Theil. Self- Published Berlin

Cățeanu, M., Ciubotaru, A. (2021). The Effect of LiDAR Sampling Density on DTM Accuracy for Areas with Heavy Forest Cover. Forests 12 (3), 265. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12030265

Clepeau, J.W. (1924). Kultur-Plan und Rechnung für das Wirtschaftsjahr 1925 der Oberförsterei Kempfeld. Kempfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 342)

Collentine, D., Futter, M.N. (2018). Realising the potential of natural water retention measures in catchment flood management: trade-offs and matching interests. Journal of Flood Risk Management 11 (1), 76–84. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12269

D’Egremont (1808). Letter dated November 24, 1808 describing the plan for the construction of ditches in the Soonwald-forest districts of Struthof, Neupfalz, and Entenpfuhl. Simmern. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 256 No. 11125)

Dengler, L. (1863): Weg-, Brücken- und Wasserbaukunde. Schweitzerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung Stuttgart Doležal, T., Vlček, L., Kocum, J., Janský, B. (2017). Evaluation of the influence of mountain peat bogs restoration measures on the groundwater level: case study Rokytka peat bog, the Šumava Mts., Czech Republic. AUC Geographica 52 (2), 141–150. https://doi.org/10.14712/23361980.2017.11

Eekhout, J., Vente, J. de (2019). Assessing the effectiveness of Sustainable Land Management forlarge-scale climate change adaptation. The Science of the total environment 654, 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.350

Erdmann, F. (1925). Künftige Wirtschaftsführung in den Oberförstereien Hermeskeil, Dhronecken, Kempfeld undMorbach. Neubruchshausen. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 146)

Flyckt, J., Andersson, F., Lavesson, N., Nilsson, L., Ågren, A.M. (2022). Detecting ditches using supervised learning on high-resolution digital elevation models. Expert Systems with Applications 201, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2022.116961

García-García, A., Cuesta-Valero, F.J., Miralles, D.G., Mahecha, M.D., Quaas, J., Reichstein, M., Zscheischler, J., Peng, J. (2023). Soil heat extremes can outpace air temperature extremes. Nature Climate Change 13 (11), 1237–1241. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01812-3

Gerhard, P. (1922). Kulturtechnik. Verlag von Paul Parey Berlin Helm (1833). Charte über die Staats-Waldungen im Forste Achtelsbach, Forstrevier von Brücken

Huang, S., Krysanova, V., Hattermann, F. (2015). Projections of climate change impacts on floods and droughts in Germany using an ensemble of climate change scenarios. Regional Environmental Change 15 (3), 461–473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-014-0606-z

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Geneva. https://doi.org/10.59327/IPCC/AR6-9789291691647

Johnson, K.M., Ouimet, W.B. (2018). An observational and theoretical framework for interpreting the landscape palimpsest through airborne LiDAR. Applied Geography 91, 32–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2017.12.018

Jucha, W., Franczak, P., Sadowski, P. (2021). Detection of World War II field fortifications using ALS and archival aerial images – German OKH Stellung b1 trenches in the south of the Polish Carpathians. Archaeological Prospection 28 (1), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.1792

Kaiser, O. (1885). Karte über die fiscalische Feldmark Tranenweiher – Culturabgrenzung, wirthschaftliche Einrichtung und Eintheilung. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 702 No. 7609)

Kaiser, O. (1902). Die Wirthschaftliche Einteilung der Forsten mit Besonderer Berücksichtigung des Gebirges in Verbindung mit der Wegenetzlegung. Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Kaus-Thiel, A. (2018). Information about the availability of forestry site maps of the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park. E-Mail. Birkenfeld.

Kling, J.P. (1790). Vorschriftsmäßige Behandlung der Domainen- Waldungen in der Churpfalz. Hof- und Akademische Buchdruckerei Mannheim

Kokalj, Ž., Hesse, R. (2017). Airborne laser scanning raster data visualization: A Guide to Good Practice. Založba ZRC Ljubljana. https://doi.org/10.3986/9789612549848

König, D., Egidi, H., Herrmann, M., Schultheiß, J., Tempel, M., Zemke, J. (2016). Der Nationalpark Hunsrück- Hochwald: naturräumliche Ausstattung und anthropogene Überprägung. Koblenzer Geographisches Kolloquium 36/37, 5–40

Koschorreck, M., Downing, A.S., Hejzlar, J., Marcé, R., Laas, A., Arndt, W.G., Keller, P.S., Smolders, A.J.P., van Dijk, G., Kosten, S. (2020). Hidden treasures: Human-made aquatic ecosystems harbour unexplored opportunities. Ambio 49 (2), 531–540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01199-6

Landesforsten Rheinland-Pfalz (LF-RLP) (n.d.). Forestry Site Map of Rhineland-Palatinate. Emmelshausen

Laurop, P.C., 1796. Ueber Forstwirthschaft: besonders über Erhaltung, Abtrieb und Wiederanbau der Wälder. Siegfried Lebrecht Crusius Leipzig

Lõhmus, A., Remm, L., Rannap, R. (2015). Just a Ditch in Forest? Reconsidering Draining in the Context of Sustainable Forest Management. BioScience 65 (11), 1066–1076. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biv136

Massa, Suzanne, A.F., (1811). Remise en vente des Coupes de bois impériaux ordinaire en 1811/Plakat zur Versteigerung kaiserlicher Waldungen, Birkenfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 302,001 No. 393)

Massa, G., (1810). Poster announcing the auction of 46,200 kilometers of drainage ditches in the Hochwald forest, Birkenfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 302,001 No. 205)

Merling, G., Massa, Stohman (1809). Protocol of a meeting on October 18, 1809, in Hattgenstein to survey areas slated for the installation of new drainage ditches. Hattgenstein. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 302,001 No. 206)

Meyer (1883). Einrichtungs-Beschreibung zu den Taxations- Revisionsarbeiten der Oberförsterei Kempfeld des Forstmeister-Bezirkes Trier-Morbach. Kempfeld. (Rhineland- Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 4)

Meyer (1930). Abschrift Erläuterungsbericht der Oberförsterei Kempfeld. Kassel. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 10)

Nestor (1890). Letter to the Royal Upper President of the Rhine Province, Mr. Nasse, in Koblenz. Trier. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 403 No. 7744)

Oates, L., Dai, L., Sudmant, A., Gouldson, A. (2020). Building climate resilience and water security in cities: lessons from the sponge city of Wuhan, China. Coalition for Urban Transitions Washington, DC

Parasiewicz, P., King, E.L., Webb, J.A., Piniewski, M., Comoglio, C., Wolter, C., Buijse, A.D., Bjerklie, D., Vezza, P., Melcher, A., Suska, K. (2019). The role of floods and droughts on riverine ecosystems under a changing climate. Fisheries Management and Ecology 26 (6), 461–473. https://doi.org/10.1111/fme.12388.

Peacock, M., Audet, J., Bastviken, D., Futter, M.N., Gauci, V., Grinham, A., Harrison, J.A., Kent, M.S., Kosten, S., Lovelock, C.E., Veraart, A.J., Evans, C.D., 2021. Global importance of methane emissions from drainage ditches and canals. Environmental Research Letters 16 (4), 44010. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abeb36

Peacock, M., Granath, G., Wallin, M.B., Högbom, L., Futter, M.N. (2021). Significant Emissions from Forest Drainage Ditches—An Unaccounted Term in Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Inventories? Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 126 (10). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JG006478

Peng, Y., Reilly, K. (2021). Using Nature to Reshape Cities and Live with Water: An Overview of the Chinese Sponge City Programme and its Implementation in Wuhan. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://growgreenproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sponge-City-Programme_Summary.pdf

Rapinel, S., Hubert-Moy, L., Clément, B., Nabucet, J., Cudennec, C. (2015). Ditch network extraction and hydrogeomorphological characterization using LiDAR- derived DTM in wetlands. Hydrology Research 46 (2), 276– 290. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2013.121

Reiss, M., Schultheiß, J., Jedicke, E., Rohr, M., Frauenberger, B., Berger, L., Grünebaum, M., Hennig, D. (2023). Soonwälder Tage zur Landschaftsentwicklung: Agenda Wasserrückhalt: Ergebnisbericht, Geisenheim. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.hs-geisenheim.de/fileadmin/redaktion/HOCHSCHULE/Einrichtungen/Kompetenzzentrum_Kulturlandschaft__KULT_/Ergebnisbericht_viSiOONWALD_Mai_2023.pdf

Rheinen, C. (1926). Kultur-Plan und Rechnung für das Wirtschaftsjahr 1925/26 der Oberförsterei Kempfeld. Kempfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 386)

Rheinen, C. (1942). Ödlandaufforstungen – Kultur-Plan und Rechnung der Revierförstereien Allenbach Süd für das Wirtschaftsjahr 1942. Kempfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 343)

Rheinen, C., Sent, Wegener, Jansen (1926). Einleitungsverhandlung zur Betriebsregelung der Oberförsterei Kempfeld. Kempfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 10)

Roelens, J., Höfle, B., Dondeyne, S., Orshoven, J.v., Diels, J. (2018). Drainage ditch extraction from airborne LiDAR point clouds. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 146, 409–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2018.10.014

Rohland, L., 2017. Handbuch der Moorwiedervernässung. Self- Published Würzburg

Santamaría-Peña, J., Palacios-Riz, E., Santamaría-Palacios, T. (2021). Noise reduction in contour lines and slope maps from medium/high-density LIDAR data. International Conference on Geographic Information Science (CIGeo 2021), Valencia. https://doi.org/10.4995/CiGeo2021.2021.12743

Sanz, M.J., Vente, J. de, Chotte, J.-L., Bernoux, M., Kust G., Ruiz, I., Almagro, M., Alloza, J.-A., Vallejo, R., Castillo, V., Hebel, A., Akhtar-Schuster, M. (2017). Sustainable Land Management contribution to successful land-based climate change adaptation and mitigation: A Report of the Science-Policy Interface. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/documents/2017-09/UNCCD_Report_SLM.pdf

Schneider, E. (1990) Die 1990er Sturmschäden in den Wäldern von Rheinland-Pfalz (1): Nach einem Referat bei der Mitgliederversammlung des Verbandes der Pfälzischen Sägewerke in Neustadt a. d. W. Mainz

Schultheiß, J. (2019). Kulturlandschaft Nationalpark Hunsrück- Hochwald: Genese und Perspektiven. PhD thesis. University of Freiburg. Freiburg

Schultheiß, J., Konold, W. (2022). „Verbannung der Sümpfe“: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Waldentwässerung am Beispiel des Großen Soon. Berichte der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Freiburg i. Br. 136 (112), 129–181

Seilter, U., Walz, U. (2014). Rekonstruktion der Waldentwicklung aus Forsteinrichtungswerken und historischen Karten: Ein Beitrag zur Untersuchung des Landnutzungswandels in der Nationalparkregion Sächsische Schweiz. Waldökologie, Landschaftsforschung und Naturschutz (14), 31–42. https://doi.org/10.17433/11.2017.50153517.485-492

Sesana, E., Gagnon, A.S., Ciantelli, C., Cassar, J., Hughes, J.J. (2021). Climate change impacts on cultural heritage: A literature review. WIREs Climate Change 12 (4). https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.710

Similä, M., Aapala, K., Penttinen, J. (2014). Ecological restoration in drained peatlands: best practices from Finland. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://julkaisut.metsa.fi/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/02/ecolres-peatlands-1.pdf

Tempel, M. (2006) Abflussverhalten kleiner, forstlich genutzter Bacheinzugsgebiete am Beispiel des Einzugsgebietes des Oberen Gräfenbaches im Soonwald/Hunsrück. PhD thesis. University of Mainz. Mainz

Tempel, M., Leidinger, T., Schultheiß, J. (2015). Historische Entwässerungsmaßnahmen im Soonwald und ihre Folgen. Geographica Augustana (20), 65–81

Trenberth, K.E. (2008). The Impact of Climate Change and Variability on Heavy Precipitation, Floods, and Droughts. In: Anderson, M.G., McDonnell, J.J. (Eds.). Encyclopedia of hydrological sciences. J. Wiley Chichester. https://doi.org/10.1002/0470848944.hsa211

Trotter, E., Fernandes, A., Fibæk, C., Keßler, C. (2022). Machine learning for automatic detection of historic stone walls using LiDAR data. International Journal of Remote Sensing 43 (6), 2185–2211. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2022.2057206

Ude (1956). Betriebswerk Staatswald Kempfeld – 1.10.1956, Teil 1 Band 1. Kempfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 146)

van der Schriek, M., Beex, W. (2017). The application of LiDAR- based DEMs on WWII conflict sites in the Netherlands. Journal of Conflict Archaeology 12 (2), 94–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/15740773.2017.1440960

Wegener, Sent, Jansen (1926). Einleitungsverhandlung zur Betriebsregelung der Oberförsterei Kempfeld. Kempfeld. (Rhineland-Palatinate State Main Archives Koblenz, Collection 537,021 No. 109)

Yan, Y., Lidberg, W., Tenenbaum, D.E., Pilesjö, P. (2020). The accuracy of drainage network delineation as a function of environmental factors: A case study in Central and Northern Sweden. Hydrological Processes 34 (26), 5489–5504. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13963

Zemke, J., (2021). Evaluation von Wiedervernässungsmaßnahmen in Hangmooren des Nationalparks Hunsrück-Hochwald: Veranschaulichung am Beispiel zweier Einzugsgebiete unter Betrachtung von Jahresgängen und Einzelereignissen. Nationalparkamt Hunsrück-Hochwald (Ed.) 2021 – Forschungsband Nationalpark Hunsrück-Hochwald (1), 235–244