Especially in northern Bavaria, trees and forests are again exposed to considerable stress due to the drought of the past few weeks. Whether in the forest, in parks or in the city center – adaptation measures against climatic changes are underway everywhere.
Freising (dpa / lby) – High temperatures and little precipitation are causing problems for the trees in Bavaria. “It’s really a dry spell for the forest at the moment,” said Dirk Schmechel from the Bavarian State Institute for Forestry and Forestry of the German Press Agency. One hopes that the rain will come – at least southern Bavaria is still sufficiently supplied with water at the moment.
If the weather continues to be dry and hot, “we fear similar drought damage as in 2018/2019,” says Schmechel. A lack of water and the massive increase in bark beetles associated with drought and heat caused immense damage to Germany’s forests, especially in 2018 and 2019.
The managing director of the Bavarian Forest Owners Association, Hans Ludwig Körner, also speaks of a dichotomy in Bavaria – the region north of the Danube is very plagued by drought. Körner also emphasizes that there are currently many young crops in the forests – because in many places new species are being planted that can better withstand climate change. However, young trees are generally much more susceptible to drought. For this reason, some young crops in Bavaria have been professionally watered for several years. With the accumulation of very dry and hot years in the course of climate change, the mortality rate increased, especially in northern Bavaria, writes the state institute in a current leaflet on irrigation.
Trees don’t have it easy in parks and gardens either. “The spring and summer droughts are an enormous stress factor, especially for the trees and shrubs in the historic gardens,” writes the Bavarian Palace Administration on request. She is responsible for state palaces, gardens and lakes throughout Bavaria, including, for example, the English Garden in Munich or the Hofgarten in Würzburg.
“The water absorption of the trees and shrubs, but now also the meadows and lawns, is no longer guaranteed to a sufficient extent in these dry phases.” The castle administration also says: “The effects of climate change, especially due to drought and heat, are felt more in Franconia than in southern Bavaria.”
However, the mixed stocks of the gardens are not as vulnerable as monocultures, as they exist in forestry. “Nevertheless, the Bavarian Palace Administration pays more attention to the drought resistance and resilience of the subsequently planted tree species when selecting trees for subsequent planting.” Small maintenance measures would also help to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Some trees in city centers are also irrigated. The city of Nuremberg recently reacted to the climatic changes and significantly expanded irrigation. “Long, hot, dry summers and low rainfall in winter have led to an increasing number of dying trees in recent years,” the statement said.
