The biodiversity of beech forests is manifest in their diversity of structures, small habitat elements (merotopes) and the diversity of habitats. Biodiversity largely depends on historical continuity and on the presence of decomposing phases, old and dead wood triggering the faunistic diversity of invertebrates. Beech forests are rich in saprophagous (including xylophagous) and zoophagous animal communities. Beech forest may harbour up to 10-20 % of the regional fauna of these guilds and their conservation is thus essential for Central Europe. Numbers of phytophagous species are relatively low in beech forests. New estimates of species richness state a total of about 6000 different animal species living in beech forests (Hassenstein and Fechner 2005). Historical tradition and continuity and structural richness are key to species diversity in our beech forests and need special attention when designating protected areas and planning their managemen