1. An area of primeval forest can develop again in the centre of Germany. 

At the start of the foundation of the National Park there was already a large part of natural stock and only a few areas of unnatural, coniferous woodland. This meant that there were good pre-conditions for natural development. Due to the fact that deciduous trees were not cut down, 90% of the National Park can be considered unused (15% more than the IUCN requirement of 75%). This means that with about 5,000 hectares, Hainich National Park has the largest area of non-managed broadleaved woodland in Germany. 

2. Hainich provides a valuable contribution to the preservation of European natural heritage. 

Germany has a particular responsibility for the beech forest, which can only be found in Europe. Thuringia has lived up to its responsibility for the preservation of the beech forests and has registered the large areas of the deciduous mixed forest of the Hainich (total area ca. 13.000 hectares) within the framework of the European protection network Natura 2000 according to the FFH directives. This is one of the largest beech forests in Europe and is an important building block for the Natura 2000 network. The following statistics clearly demonstrate the importance of Hainich for the preservation of biological diversity.   

Hainich National Park is home to: 

-  47 species of mammals, including wild cats and 15 species of bats 

-  188 bird species including Black Stork, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, and Red Kite 

 -  ca. 2,050 varieties of beetles including endangered inhabitants of deadwood 

-  ca. 1,650 species of mushrooms (estimated more than 2,000 species)   

3. Hainich is an important reference area for conservationists and forestry personnel. 

Hainich National Park is relatively small at 7,500 hectares but offers very good conditions for research into the dynamic processes in central European deciduous forests due to its closeness to nature and the high percentage of unmanaged area. During the next few years and decades valuable knowledge for nature protection and forestry can be expected. For experts from Germany and abroad, with its natural vegetation of typical central European trees Hainich is very important as a place for excursions and for study purposes.   

4. For the visitor there are excellent opportunities for nature leisure recreation and environmental education 

In Hainich the visitor can experience the motto for the German National Parks “Let nature be nature”. At Hainich National Park the visitor can find large areas of woodland which have been excluded from use by humans; feel the enormous power of nature; observe the competition for light, water, and nourishment; and explore the variety of habitats created by the undisturbed, ongoing processes of nature. Especially by enjoying the canopy tree walk, those natural processes and powers can be experienced and observed, in a so far unknown way.   

5. Future perspectives have been created for the National Park region 

In 1999 the National Park administration, together with the adjacent municipal authorities, produced a brochure entitled “National Park Region Hainich – Nature and Culture in the Centre of Germany”. Due to its central position in Germany and its location in a rich cultural landscape (the famous Wartburg Castle is only 8 km ‘as the crow flies’ from the National Park) the future of the National Park region can be seen as extremely promising. The park has become well known. Also the advertising carried out over the past years is a cause for expectation that clear growth will take place over the next years. In the year 2004 the number of visitors was approximately 140,000 while the number of visitors rose in the year 2005 and 2006 considerably. The increase in visitors is in great parts due to the first European canopy tree walk in a National Park.