Changes in the Bavarian Forest: Black pine soft forest

Changes in the Bavarian Forest: Black pine soft forest

-a forest in change

in Lower Franconia, near Würzburg, one of the largest contiguous black pine forests in Germany is facing a dramatic transformation. The forest, which has been planted on Weideland for about 150 years, is at risk due to climate change to lose its characteristic vegetation and become a mixed forest, as forester Wolfgang Fricker reports.

-a serious influence of climate change

climate change has worked significantly on the forest in recent decades. A study by the Bavarian State Office for Forest (LWF) from 2019 shows that three quarters of the trees in the area are now damaged or dead. Especially a fungus that occurs aggressively, especially during dry periods, caused massive damage.

-The community suffers

The changes in the forest have an impact on nature, but also on the parishioners that rely on the ecological advantages of the forest. The forest played a crucial role in alleviating extreme weather events and supporting viticulture in the area. The forest owners and the local community are concerned about the possible long -term consequences of these changes.

-biodiversity and adaptation measures

In order to secure the pine population, the forester rely on a mixture of traditional and alternative tree species. In addition to the dominant Austrian black pine, Corsican and Calabresian black pinees have also been planted in recent years. These measures are part of a more comprehensive plan to restore and stabilize the forest.

-an optimistic look into the future

Despite the challenges, there are temporarily positive signs. The heavy rain this year has led to the condition of the forest improved. Förster Fricker, however, emphasizes that many of the young pines that were planted two years ago did not survive the previous summer. The construction of a robust mixed forest could thus be the key to the future of the unique ecosystem.

-an important region in the European context

The natural distribution area of the black pine extends over large parts of Europe, but in Germany the components of this tree species are usually artificially planted. The situation in Lower Franconia reflects a greater challenge that affects many forests in Germany and beyond; Climate change and the associated ecological changes are a significant threat to forests worldwide.

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