On recent windthrow areas luxuriant plant growth generally takes place resulting in increasing cover and height of herbaceous and shrub layer. The intensified growth is caused by increased light, warmth and nutrients. The fast recovering of once vegetationless areas reduces the danger of erosion year after year.
The most dominant plant species in nearly all windthrow areas is raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.). Since 1992 there has been a massive increase in the size of its vegetation cover. Increases also occurred with blackberry (Rubus frutiscosus aggr.) in low altitude areas and white butterbur (Petasites albus [L.] Gaertner) in high altitude areas. The species composition of the felled-area flora depends very much on the singularity of each windthrow area, though a frequent pioneer is common hemp-nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit L.). However the felled-area flora decreases with the age of the windthrow area as raspberry increases the extent of its cover and finally becomes dominant. Observations in older windthrow areas indicate however that natural regeneration takes place in gaps caused by different minor disturbances of the apparently close herbaceous vegetation cover.
Several years old litter was decomposed within the last four years. Especially in cleared windthrow areas, where large parts of the vegetation were destroyed and soils have been condensed by clearing, there is a danger of the soil drying out. This effect can be observed not only on the surface but also down to a depth of 35 cm in well developed soils.