Wood sculptures by Leif-Erik Voss

On the tree and wood experience path, we wish to invite people to spend time in the here and now, and tempt them to take note of nature, experience it and become aware of the unique diversity of our forests. To this end, the conventional concept of an instructional forest path, dotted with little signs detailing the common and Latin names, origin and probable age of the trees, was rejected.

Instead, we collaborated with the Siegburg-based wood sculptor Leif-Erik Voss and decided on a round-trip path here in the FFH and nature preserve that enables visitors to experience the diversity of the forest types and tree species, as well as the varied past of the slopes of the Wupper, over a short distance. Thus, Leif-Erik Voss realised five elements relating to the topics “hill fort”, “sunken road”, “oak forest”, “beech forest” and “fen and floodplain forest” in his unmistakeable language of forms, and supplemented them with three information panels.

Leif-Erik Voss’s emotionally worked wood sculptures are intended not only as an invitation to rest on a bench between fantasy beings, but direct attention to the characteristic tree species and forest types of this area. For instance, the mighty trunk of a chestnut tree is placed at a stone gate – the silent lookout. Visitors who walk around the other side find that they can sit in the trunk. And just as they sit down, they will notice that the ambient noise is blocked out. In this sudden stillness, the viewer’s gaze rests on the silver-grey bark of mighty beeches – the indicator species of our forests, and one of the main reasons why this nature preserve is so important in Europe.

And those who wish to reread the information are welcome to take a copy of the flyer on the tree and forest experience path from the boxes at the information panels.

More information on the artist Leif-Erik Voss and his projects