German Forest Summit: Three ways to revive dying woods
More German forest died in 2020 than any other year — even if spared the wildfires now blazing through southern Europe. Experts are debating solutions.
Germany's forests were spared the flames, but have been suffering from bark beetle plagues, among other things
In 2018, German forests burnt at around four times the rate they had in previous years, especially in the northern state of Brandenburg. But wildfires are not the problem for monoculture spruce conifer forests that dominate the wooded area covering one third of Germany. These forests are instead falling victim to bark beetle plagues thriving in dryer and hotter weather induced by global heating.
1. Better ecological forest management
One of the key themes at the second national forest summit being hosted at the Wohlleben Forest Academy in western Germany is forest restructuring and ecological forest management.
German woods have almost no old growth, and very little biodiversity. That makes them extremely vulnerable to climate change. This is due to poor forest management, say some of the experts attending the summit.
The prime target for reformation are "artificial" conifer forests that were largely planted after the war because they were fast-growing and could provide wood for reconstruction. Making up 25% of German forests today, the predominant spruce tree is an Alpine species that requires wet and cold conditions. Now they are badly struggling in non-native areas as they age, a process exacerbated by climate change.
"Our forests are not natural forests," said Christopher Reyer, a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and national forest summit participant.
Planted with very few other species, and containing very little biodiversity, these historical forest management "legacy effects" are being compounded by "unprecedented climate impacts on these types of trees," Reyer told DW.
Peter Wohlleben, forester, founder of the Wohlleben Forest Academy, and author of the bestseller, The Hidden Life of Trees, said that 50% or more of German forests could die in the next decade "because of bad management."
"My suggestion is to leave the forest alone," he said. "Natural forests can create their own local climate, whereas plantations get drier and hotter and cause their own problems," he added.
2. Fostering climate resilience through biodiversity
Climate impacts on forest are compounded by invasive timber harvesting, which also compacts the soil and limits its ability to retain water. On the first day of the summit, Wohlleben described a healthy native beech forest very close to his academy which had virtually no water runoff during the heavy rains that flooded nearby regions.
But the problem is not going away as the German timber industry continues to export much of its product to China and the US for construction, notes Judith Reise, a researcher at Germany's Oeko-Institut.
"Timber harvesting is not ecologically sustainable," she said, adding that removing all the dead and fallen wood from forests — not just for timber harvesting but also as part of the aesthetic cleaning forests for recreation purposes — has also depleted the microbial processes that are essential to biodiversity. This might increase fire risk in the short term, but the nurturing of old growth will ultimately increase the climate resilience of all forests, especially in terms of remaining cool and wet.
"Don't harvest trees that have biodiversity attached to them," suggested Sebastian Kirppu, a Swedish forest conservationist, during the summit.
Kirpuu said that in terms of biodiversity, forests in "Europe and Russia are the worst in the world."
He added that Red Listed species in these forests has increased significantly in recent years. In spite of sustainable forest certification for timber products, very few species are coming off the list, and more and more are being added.
"Biodiversity protection must be the basis for whatever we do," said Judith Reise. But so far only 2.8% of German forests are protected for biodiversity, well short of a 2020 target of 5%.
More German forest died in 2020 than any other year — even if spared the wildfires now blazing through southern Europe. Experts are debating solutions.
Germany's forests were spared the flames, but have been suffering from bark beetle plagues, among other things
In 2018, German forests burnt at around four times the rate they had in previous years, especially in the northern state of Brandenburg. But wildfires are not the problem for monoculture spruce conifer forests that dominate the wooded area covering one third of Germany. These forests are instead falling victim to bark beetle plagues thriving in dryer and hotter weather induced by global heating.
Germany's second national forest summit, appropriately titled "Waldsterben 2.0" (Forest Dieback), explores how to manage the German woods back to health in the midst of a climate crisis. Here are three suggestions that are on the table.
One of the key themes at the second national forest summit being hosted at the Wohlleben Forest Academy in western Germany is forest restructuring and ecological forest management.
German woods have almost no old growth, and very little biodiversity. That makes them extremely vulnerable to climate change. This is due to poor forest management, say some of the experts attending the summit.
The prime target for reformation are "artificial" conifer forests that were largely planted after the war because they were fast-growing and could provide wood for reconstruction. Making up 25% of German forests today, the predominant spruce tree is an Alpine species that requires wet and cold conditions. Now they are badly struggling in non-native areas as they age, a process exacerbated by climate change.
IT'S DO OR DIE FOR GERMANY'S FORESTSThe forests are dyingGerman forests are dying in part due to drier and hotter summers, and heat-loving bark beetle plagues that have destroyed ubiquitous spruce trees. More trees died in Germany in 2020 than in any other previous year, including beech trees planted widely in the past decade for their climate resilience. This week's national forest summit titled "Waldsterben 2.0" (Forest Dieback) asks what can be done. 12345678
"Our forests are not natural forests," said Christopher Reyer, a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and national forest summit participant.
Planted with very few other species, and containing very little biodiversity, these historical forest management "legacy effects" are being compounded by "unprecedented climate impacts on these types of trees," Reyer told DW.
Peter Wohlleben, forester, founder of the Wohlleben Forest Academy, and author of the bestseller, The Hidden Life of Trees, said that 50% or more of German forests could die in the next decade "because of bad management."
"My suggestion is to leave the forest alone," he said. "Natural forests can create their own local climate, whereas plantations get drier and hotter and cause their own problems," he added.
2. Fostering climate resilience through biodiversity
Climate impacts on forest are compounded by invasive timber harvesting, which also compacts the soil and limits its ability to retain water. On the first day of the summit, Wohlleben described a healthy native beech forest very close to his academy which had virtually no water runoff during the heavy rains that flooded nearby regions.
But the problem is not going away as the German timber industry continues to export much of its product to China and the US for construction, notes Judith Reise, a researcher at Germany's Oeko-Institut.
"Timber harvesting is not ecologically sustainable," she said, adding that removing all the dead and fallen wood from forests — not just for timber harvesting but also as part of the aesthetic cleaning forests for recreation purposes — has also depleted the microbial processes that are essential to biodiversity. This might increase fire risk in the short term, but the nurturing of old growth will ultimately increase the climate resilience of all forests, especially in terms of remaining cool and wet.
"Don't harvest trees that have biodiversity attached to them," suggested Sebastian Kirppu, a Swedish forest conservationist, during the summit.
Kirpuu said that in terms of biodiversity, forests in "Europe and Russia are the worst in the world."
He added that Red Listed species in these forests has increased significantly in recent years. In spite of sustainable forest certification for timber products, very few species are coming off the list, and more and more are being added.
"Biodiversity protection must be the basis for whatever we do," said Judith Reise. But so far only 2.8% of German forests are protected for biodiversity, well short of a 2020 target of 5%.
3. Using wood in a sustainable way
There are no easy solutions to Germany's forest crisis. While conservationist are calling for the forests to be left alone, low carbon timber products can also help fight global heating — especially as an alternative to CO2 heavy construction materials like steel and concrete.
"If we can use wood products in the best possible way, with the best possible life cycle, and the best possible recycling and upcycling strategy. If we rethink the way we use this wood, then it's a very powerful solution," said Reyer of the climate benefits.
"It's not that harvesting is always bad," he added, even if he agrees there should be less timber cutting, and that there should be more protected old growth. "But compared to all the other land uses, forestry is an area where we can have a quite a natural ecosystem and still create useful products."
This forest design will be one of the key issues at the forest summit when deciding how to spend the €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) promised by the federal government in 2020 to support municipal and private forest owners for reforestation, among other measures.
One strategy, as a forester from Lübeck in northern Germany said at the summit, will be to shift from clear-felling to single-tree cutting to create "an ecological system in forestry."
Whatever the solutions, they will need to holistically encompass German forest health, climate resilience and productivity.
DW RECOMMENDS
The myth of the wild German forest
As Amazon rainforest is decimated by widespread fires and logging, we can look to a long German tradition of burning and clearing woodlands — and solutions that have included systematic replanting and forest management.
Germany's forests on the verge of collapse, experts report
Germany’s parched forests are nearing ecological collapse, foresters and researchers warn. More than 1 million established trees have died since 2018 as a result of drought, winter storms and bark beetle plagues.
German forest fire risk spikes amid high temperatures, drought
Sun and warmth might seem like the perfect weather for Easter. But experts warn that Germany is far too dry, almost everywhere in the country.
There are no easy solutions to Germany's forest crisis. While conservationist are calling for the forests to be left alone, low carbon timber products can also help fight global heating — especially as an alternative to CO2 heavy construction materials like steel and concrete.
"If we can use wood products in the best possible way, with the best possible life cycle, and the best possible recycling and upcycling strategy. If we rethink the way we use this wood, then it's a very powerful solution," said Reyer of the climate benefits.
"It's not that harvesting is always bad," he added, even if he agrees there should be less timber cutting, and that there should be more protected old growth. "But compared to all the other land uses, forestry is an area where we can have a quite a natural ecosystem and still create useful products."
This forest design will be one of the key issues at the forest summit when deciding how to spend the €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) promised by the federal government in 2020 to support municipal and private forest owners for reforestation, among other measures.
One strategy, as a forester from Lübeck in northern Germany said at the summit, will be to shift from clear-felling to single-tree cutting to create "an ecological system in forestry."
Whatever the solutions, they will need to holistically encompass German forest health, climate resilience and productivity.
DW RECOMMENDS
The myth of the wild German forest
As Amazon rainforest is decimated by widespread fires and logging, we can look to a long German tradition of burning and clearing woodlands — and solutions that have included systematic replanting and forest management.
Germany's forests on the verge of collapse, experts report
Germany’s parched forests are nearing ecological collapse, foresters and researchers warn. More than 1 million established trees have died since 2018 as a result of drought, winter storms and bark beetle plagues.
German forest fire risk spikes amid high temperatures, drought
Sun and warmth might seem like the perfect weather for Easter. But experts warn that Germany is far too dry, almost everywhere in the country.
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