Global warming - State of the forest in Saarland continues to deteriorate
Lack of water and heat have once again taken their toll on Saarland's forests this year. The crown condition as an indicator of the vitality of the trees has deteriorated significantly across all tree species, announced Environment Minister Petra Berg (SPD) in Saarbrücken on Friday. The proportion of trees with significant damage was 51 percent this year. In the 2022 Forest Condition Report, the figure was 37 percent.
Despite comparatively heavy rainfall from mid-July, the trees had previously lacked water during the main growth phase from May. As in previous years, this lack of rain had a negative impact on tree vitality, according to the ministry. The proportion of dead and severely damaged trees has continued to rise.
"Alarmingly, since 2022, young beech trees and beech regeneration are already showing the first signs of dying off as a result of drought damage," it said. Older beech trees and other deciduous trees such as oak, sycamore and birch also showed significant losses, while the situation with spruce was "catastrophic". Overall, the proportion of dead trees across all species in the sampling grid was higher than ever before at around 6.7 percent.
This makes it all the more important to secure and further expand the existing biodiversity. "Climate-resilient mixed forests" are needed, also in order to be able to meet the demand for wood as a raw material in the future. "The forest is a home for people and it is important to preserve it for future generations," said Berg. The Saarland sees itself "on the right track" with its forestry strategy.
As one of the federal states with the most deciduous forests, Saarland has been a pioneer in the near-natural management of the state forest for three decades. Ten percent of the area has been taken out of cultivation and the proportion of deciduous wood is more than 75 percent overall. Beech is the most important tree species in Saarland, accounting for 23 percent of the area, followed by oak (21 percent).
Between July 17 and August 7, around 2,400 sample trees were assessed at 100 survey points for the forest condition report. According to preliminary data from the German Weather Service (DWD), Saarland was the second warmest federal state in the summer of 2023 with an average of 19.4 degrees. There was comparatively heavy rain in July and August. According to the DWD, summers have been too warm nationwide for 27 years.
Forest condition reports Germany weather 2023
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- Petra Berg, the Environment Minister from Saarland (SPD), expressed concern over the state of its forests, which have been significantly impacted by global warming and a water shortage.
- The deteriorating conditions in Saarland's forests have led to a rise in dead and severely damaged trees, particularly affecting young beech trees and older deciduous species like oak, sycamore, and birch.
- In an effort to combat this issue, Saarland is focusing on the creation of climate-resilient mixed forests, preserving the forest as a valuable resource for future generations and meeting the demand for wood as a raw material.
- As a state with a high proportion of deciduous forests, Saarland has been a pioneer in near-natural forest management for three decades, with over 10% of the area taken out of cultivation and a majority of deciduous wood.
- Despite recent heavy rainfall in mid-July, the lack of water during the primary growth period in May had a negative impact on tree vitality, contributing to the ongoing challenges in Saarland's forests, facing the repercussions of global warming.
Source: www.stern.de
