7. Bavaria / Pine Looper: Kingdom of Bavaria (until 1918)

From imperial forest to shooting range
Since the Middle Ages, the Imperial Forest (Reichswald) has supplied Nuremberg with building materials and fuel. Fast-growing pines are planted to replace felled deciduous trees. This backfires. During a drought starting in 1892, the pine looper pest infests large parts of the forest.

To prevent further spread of the pest and sell the wood as railroad sleepers, the royal forestry administration hires 4,000 woodcutters to fell the infested trees quickly. A steam railway brings the wood to the Dutzendteich loading station.

The Langwasser area remains as a barren space, which soon develops into a blooming grass and heathland. From 1900 to 1918, the Bavarian military uses it as a shooting range to train recruits.