Risk for guests: Felling sick books announced at the Sennhütte!

Risk for guests: Felling sick books announced at the Sennhütte!

In Bad Pyrmont, felling of sick beeches at the forest restaurant "Sennhütte" are imminent. District forester Michael Martin announced these measures, which are classified as risky due to a recently broken branch. The branch fell near the outer gastronomy and a public road, which reinforces the security concerns. Dry branches were removed last year, but the new demolition was not predictable because it was not classified as dangerous. The beeches are badly affected by the dry stress, which was tightened by the extreme dry years 2018 and 2019, which leads to a lack of water in the tree tops and makes the trees susceptible to white rot. The damage is not only limited to the damaged branch, but is also visible on other tribes. This increases the risk of felling, since the inner nature of the sick trees is difficult to assess.

The work should be carried out using a winch to drop the trees in a controlled manner. These measures are planned to be carried out on a rest day of the "Sennhütte" and should take a day. To compensate for the felled trees, the planting of new, larger trees, possibly oaks, is planned. Normally, felling during the breeding and setting time is not allowed. However, there are exceptions for forestry that make it possible to only remove the damaged tree tops in the case of brooding birds. Martin said that the forest damage in the Pyrmonter forest, especially in higher locations, continues to increase.

climate change and the effects on the beech stocks

The damage suffered by the forests is directly related to the increasingly problematic “beech vitality weakness”. This is a complex disease caused by various factors, including bark and wooden rot mushrooms as well as bark beetles. Old trees in particular and those in dry locations show drastic damage. The extreme weather events and the drought of the past few years have severely impaired the domestic red book (Fagus Sylvatica L.), which are spread in Central Europe. Experts work on projects that aim to maintain and promote red beech forests despite the challenges of climate change in order to improve the vitality of the trees and to strengthen their resistance.

Another stressful factor is the forestry itself. The practices that are used here, such as monocultures and the use of heavy machines, contribute to the deterioration in forest health. According to Greenpeace, monocultures, such as planting, only have a tree species, serious disadvantages for the ecosystems. These types of plantations hardly offer natural habitat for flora and fauna. In addition, these trees are more susceptible to pests and droughts. The intensive use of machines in the wooden harvest can lead to soil compression that make it difficult for the soil to absorb water - a fact that is particularly problematic in drought and in extreme weather conditions.

The future of the forests

The discussion in the specialist circles is diverse. The question remains whether the type of forest management in Germany influences the mortality rate of beeches. So far, initial investigations have shown no clear indications. Nevertheless, it is considered how stable and diverse forests can arise from increased natural rejuvenation that react better to climate changes and pests. In Germany, 67 % of the forests are in protected areas, but only 2.8 % are actually protected from wood impacts, which illustrates the urgency of rethinking in forestry.

The hope remains that future generations of Buchen will better cope with the challenges of climate change, so that the forests in the region will be preserved in the long term. Martin said that the damage that has already occurred continues to increase, which requires the need for measures that focus on both the preservation of the trees and the safety of forest users.