Trees collapse: Delivery threatens Wildau and Brandenburg!

Trees collapse: Delivery threatens Wildau and Brandenburg!

Wildau, Deutschland - Nature impressively confronts us with its challenges. So also in Wildau, where today tree inspector Eric Fritzsche has carefully examined the safety of a tall tree. Tree number 159, a pine, stands on a sidewalk in front of the AWO senior home and, despite its proud 25 meter height, is no longer safe. A dead branch, which measures more than three centimeters in diameter, represents an acute danger. Therefore, Fritzsche ordered that this branch must be removed within three months in order to minimize risks for passers-by [maz-online.de …] (Https://www.maz-online.de/lokales/dahme-spreewald/wildau/unwetter-in-brandenburg- driedenkeit-er-die-mstuerzender-baeume-nphh4imni5gevnelffz3lfm3gi.html).

The current situation is not only serious in Wildau, but also affects large parts of Brandenburg. In the past few weeks, climate change has required tribute when violent storms swept across the forests and made more than 1000 missions of the fire brigade necessary, often due to fallen trees or falling branches. Shocking reports of injured, even about a deadly accident when a woman was killed by a tree in her car, the public reported [maz-online.de …] (Https://www.maz-online.de/lokales/dahme-spreewald/wildau/unwetter-in-brandenburg- driedenkeit-er-die-mstuerzender-baeume-nphh4imni5gevnelffz3lfm3gi.html).

drought and its consequences

at a time when the spring 2025 has been one of the driest since the start of the weather records, property owners in Brandenburg have to check their trees a year. This makes it all the more important that experts like Fritzsche use their knowledge to recognize potential dangers at an early stage. In the next three weeks he plans to check around 800 trees to check the old people's home. These controls are associated with a cost of 250 to 300 euros per home home, but can save lives and prevent damage [maz-online.de reports that …] (Https://www.maz-online.de/lokales/dahme-spreewald/wildau/unwetter-in-brandenburg- driedenkeit-er-die-mstuerzender-baeume-nphh4imni5gevnelffz3lfm3gi.html).

Fritzsche also draws attention to a worrying tendency: Many tree tops have become light in recent years. This development is not only a sign of dryness, but also makes the trees more susceptible to pests and diseases. During his controls, for example, he noticed caterpillars from the oak processionary spinner, which can cause allergic reactions [maz-online.de …] (Https://www.maz-online.de/lokales/dahme-spreewald/wildau/unwetter-in-brandenburg- driedenkeit-er-die-mstuerzender-baeume-nphh4imni5gevnelffz3lfm3gi.html).

climate change as a threat

But what does that mean for our forests in Germany? A current forest state has shown that four out of five trees, including spruce, pine, beech and oak, are considered sick. Experts warn that the drought and associated climatic changes affect the resilience of the forests. "The trees are caused by the dryness, and these fine roots have died in drought, which makes their regeneration difficult," emphasizes Christopher Reyer from the Potsdam Institute. This ensures that fewer leaf mass is available for water intake, which endangers the entire vitality of the trees [rbb24.de] (https://www.rbb24.de/panorama/bagt/2025/06/berlin-brandenburg-brande-sturme-duerre-gaelder-A now).

While the forests cover about a third of the area of ​​Germany, the risk of consequential damage to pre -damaged trees increases, especially when violent storms drag through the regions. So there were recently dramatic incidents in the Tegel Forst in Berlin: thousands of trees were uprooted by gusts of wind, and access to the forests remains closed for the time being to ensure the safety of the population [rbb24.de …] (Https://www.rbb24.de/panorama/biebtrag/2025/06/berlin-brandenburg-wetter-sturme-duerre-beplagte-waelder-standen.html).

The challenges are diverse, and the consequences of climate change must be addressed by us as a society, but also by the political decision -makers. A focus should be on the development of innovative instruments to analyze the effects of climate factors on our forests in order to ensure the ecological functions and services in the long term. After all, forests are not only a habitat for many animal and plant species, but also an important CO2-Senke and a recreation room for us humans nccs.admin.ch reports that….