Forest death in Quernheim: 33% of the trees disappeared - alarm level red!

Forest death in Quernheim: 33% of the trees disappeared - alarm level red!

Quernheim, Deutschland - In the German forests there is an alarming situation. The main causes of the massive death of the trees are the continued dryness and the infestation of bark beetles. This particularly affects the spruce stocks that are affected above average in areas such as Quernheim in the Diepholz district. Between summer 2017 and summer 2024, 33 percent of the trees, such as Kreiszeitung reported.

In addition, extensive data analyzes from the German Aerospace Center show that other regions of Germany, such as the Sauerland, the Harz and the Thuringian Forest, are also shaped by similar losses. The situation in Wesseln, Schleswig-Holstein is particularly dramatic, where the tree losses are 85 percent. The district of Diepholz is also severely affected; Only Lemförde, where the forest areas of the “Mountain prospective icon” cooperative belong, have a positive exception with a 2 percent crash in the deciduous trees, while other municipalities sometimes have up to 6 percent loss.

causes and developments

The reasons for these developments are complex. In addition to the drought, extreme weather events such as storms and high temperatures, which were particularly observed in 2018 to 2023. These circumstances favored the mass increases of the bark beetle species of book printer and engraver, which significantly impaired the stability of the forests, as the Deutschland/wald-trockenheit-klimawandel.hml"> doa>. With a calamity of around 300 million solid meters of wood that were recorded during this period, the situation is serious.

but not just a needle wood; Leaf trees such as beeches and ash also show death and decay symptoms due to root damage. In recent years, it has also proven that the remaining forests save less CO2 and even become CO2 sources if the grievances are not remedied.

political reactions and necessary measures

In order to address the intensifying situation, according to the Federal Association for Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND), it is absolutely necessary that the Federal Government takes effective measures to maintain the climate and to achieve the Paris climate goals. This includes the quick exit from fossil energies and a comprehensive changeover to 100 percent renewable energies. BUND also requires a drastic reduction in nitrogen emissions that are responsible for the acidification of forest soils and the difficult root growth.

The current forest state survey 2023 shows that more than 40 percent of the trees have a significant crown agitation and are only considered to be healthy. It is clear that adjustment of the tree species selection and promotion of natural rejuvenation are necessary to revive the forests and to stabilize their ecosystems. In total, more than 500,000 hectares of forest space in Germany urgently need to be re -forested to secure the ecological functions of the forests.