On the border between Germany and Czech Republic, on the southern side of the granite and gneiss bedrock of the Šumava mountains, lies the largest contiguous woodland scenery in Central Europe of which the highest point is Rachel peak (1453 m). It comprises forests close to natural state, peatlands, water courses and secondary grasslands. The main intention of this National Park is to retain an extensively forested, characteristically Central European low mountain range, with its native animal and plant communities, in particular their natural and nearly-natural forest eco-systems, to maintain the effectiveness of the natural environmental energy and the undisturbed dynamics of its community of life.