Franz Späth bought and cropped the meadows between today’s districts „Britz“ and „Johannisthal“ and thus became owner of the world’s largest tree nursery which is still internationally known today. The tree nursery is also said to be Berlin’s oldest existing business establishment (founded in 1720). It is a copped area with a size of more than 120 ha. In 1874 Späth built a representative manor there for his family which is now the “institute for special botany” belonging to the Humboldt University. Step by step, an arboretum developed surrounding the manor (at today’s Späthstraße and Baumschulenweg) with at least 1.200 exotic trees and bushes from Asia, Africa and America as an area of experimenting and presenting the tree nursery. The English park (3,5 ha) and the rosarium are open to public. The institute and the tree nursery abide. Another part of “city-forest” invites you for a walk on the other side of the “Königsweg” (200 ha). It was once part of the large forest area south-east of Berlin of which today’s “Köllnische Heide” and “Wuhlheide” in Treptow still exist.