A third of Thuringia: The forests are growing and inspiring!

A third of Thuringia: The forests are growing and inspiring!

Forests are very popular in Thuringia: over a third of the state's land area is covered with forest. According to the Thuringian State Office for Statistics, a current evaluation shows that the forest area covers around 539,993 hectares, which corresponds to a forest share of 33.3 percent of Thuringia's total area. This is an encouraging development that has been observed over the last few years. Borkener Zeitung reports that the data comes from December 2024, and it shows that the natural environment of Thuringians contributes significantly to the quality of life.

A closer look at the distribution of the land area reveals that around 52 percent is used for agricultural purposes. Settlement and traffic areas make up around 12 percent of the total area. In contrast, the water area is reported as only 1.2 percent, with the Saale-Orla district having the largest water area in the country. Die Thuringer adds that the agriculturally used area in the Kyffhäuser district has the highest share with around 66,500 hectares, followed by the districts of Sömmerda and Wartburgkreis, with 63,700 and 63,200 hectares.

Regional forest distribution and trends

The most forested regions in Thuringia are the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district with around 60,700 hectares, followed by Saalfeld-Rudolstadt with around 54,600 hectares and the Wartburg district with around 52,400 hectares. These areas form the green core of the country and are crucial for biodiversity and for recreational opportunities in nature.

Over the last ten years, the forest area in Thuringia has increased slowly but steadily. According to [Thüringenforst](https://www.thueringenforst.de/aktuelles-service/aktuelle-melden/detailseite/thueringen-waldflaeche- Nimm-langsam-aber-stetig-zu) there was an increase of 20 hectares. This is equivalent to around 28 football fields and shows that reforestation projects and sustainable forestry are having an impact. Forest access was positive between 2014 and 2023 through afforestation, despite a slight loss from other uses.

Challenges and outlook

However, there are also challenges: construction measures for infrastructure and settlements lead to a continuous loss of forest areas. The largest annual loss occurred in 2018, which was around 17.5 hectares. Nevertheless, around 110,000 hectares of areas damaged by climate change in Thuringia remain 100 percent forest, which underlines the resilience of the forests. The owners are obliged to renovate these areas within six years.

Overall, it can be seen that Thuringia is a model country when it comes to forest and natural areas. Recent surveys confirm that Thuringia is one of the most forested regions in a nationwide comparison. The people of Thuringia value their forests and rely on sustainable use, which should also please future generations. Thüringenforst remains optimistic that this trend can continue so that the country continues to benefit from its forests both ecologically and economically.