Thuringia gets the first forest manager: Corinna Geißler takes over 2026!

Thuringia gets the first forest manager: Corinna Geißler takes over 2026!

Gotha, Deutschland - A historical change is imminent: Corinna Geißler will take over the management of the Thuringian State Forest from 2026 and thus contributes significantly to the change in forestry. As the first woman at the head of a state forest in Germany, she will direct the fortunes of the over 1,400 employees and trainees. She is currently heading the forest research and competence center in Gotha and has prevailed in a nationwide selection process, such as thueringen24.de reported.

The current forester Minister Tilo Kummer is enthusiastic about Geißler's calling and emphasizes the important challenges that are waiting for them. The focus of her work will adapt the Thuringian forests to the effects of climate change. Geißler himself wants to work more to sharpen the awareness of the poor condition of the forests and to bring the topics of forest and climate change more into public focus.

climate change and forestry

Geißler sees the forest as a suffering human action and emphasizes urgency to now take appropriate measures. "130,000 hectares of damages are a big problem in Thuringia's forests, but also an opportunity for me to promote a vital forest of the future with new methods," she emphasizes. In particular, she plans to implement innovative approaches such as changed plant times and the promotion of natural processes, all of this with the vision, the forests of more robust, structurally and more species -rich to make.

Special attention also applies to demographic change within the forestry. The teams become younger and various what new skills brings. Geißler wants to support their employees in doing meaningful work and creating an attractive work environment. Volker Gebhardt, the previous leader, emphasizes that Thuringia is an attractive employer who has no difficulty filling vacancies. For example, for the dual bachelor's degree in "Forestry and Ecosystem Management" there was a whopping 311 applications in just eight places, such as mdr.de

mentoring for women in forestry

As part of these changes, the mentoring program for women in forestry is becoming increasingly relevant. The forest training center Fast Pichl emphasizes the advantages of this program that strengthens young women at work and offers them useful support. Successful women and men take on role model functions here and help to overcome stereotypes. This should not only benefit the mentees, but also of the entire forestry-a point that is underlined by Forstpraxis.de

In summary, it can be said that Corinna Geißler at the head of the Thuringian State Forest is a fresh wind into forestry. The challenges are great, but Geißler sees them as an opportunity to make the forests of Thuringia future -proof.