Wald Inventur Schleswig-Holstein: Positive trends despite the lowest forest state

Wald Inventur Schleswig-Holstein: Positive trends despite the lowest forest state

In Schleswig-Holstein, a gratifying development is reported in the field of forest areas. The results of the fourth federal forest inventory show that the forests of the northernmost state now take 182,457 hectares, which corresponds to about 11.5 percent of the country. This number marks an increase compared to 173,412 hectares, which were recorded at the last inventory 2011/2012. Despite this increase, Schleswig-Holstein remains the lowest state in Germany.

The forest state secretary Anne Benett-Sturies commented on the new numbers and described the trend as gratifying. The increases are the result of intensive efforts to form new forest and maintain existing forests. In a nationwide comparison, the forest content is around 32 percent, while Schleswig-Holstein is significantly below and remains behind other federal states such as Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

private forest in the focus

An interesting knowledge of the inventory is the high proportion of private forest areas in Schleswig-Holstein. More than half, exactly 50.4 percent, the forest areas belong to private individuals, while 31.6 percent are assigned to the state forest. Cities and municipalities also have 14.9 percent and only 3.1 percent fall on the federal forest. It is also noteworthy that 68 percent of the forests in Schleswig-Holstein are leaf or leaf mixed forests, which makes the ecosystem more resistant to the challenges of climate change. In comparison, pure coniferous forest stocks make up only three percent of the forest area.

Due to the geographical location between the North and Baltic Sea, Schleswig-Holstein is exposed to less extreme weather conditions such as drought, which has an advantageous effect on the health of the forests.

dead wood as an ecological factor

Another central result of the inventory shows that the proportion of dead wood has increased in the forests of Schleswig-Holstein. From 2012 to 2022, the average increased to 21 cubic meters per hectare. Totholz is considered to be ecologically valuable because it offers living space for many animal species and contributes to soil fertility. However, carbon dioxide is also released in the decomposition of dead wood, which emphasizes the contradictions in the ecosystem.

The responsible Thünen Institute carries out the Federal Forest Inventory every ten years and evaluates extensive data of over 520,000 trees. This information is crucial to understand the condition of the forests in Germany and to plan suitable measures to maintain and promote forest areas.

Schleswig-Holstein remains a region with a lot of potential in the field of forest management, even if the area extension remains behind other federal states. However, the current development shows that the country takes steps in the right direction to strengthen the forests and maximize their ecological advantages. Further details on this topic are on www.merkur.de find.