The drought stress of recent years has weakened many trees, branches can suddenly fall down. The authorities therefore advise: Keep your eyes open when visiting the forest!
Kassel/Frankfurt (dpa/lhe) – Forest and park visitors in Hesse increasingly have to reckon with the danger of falling branches. The area with a significantly increased risk of a broken branch has grown significantly compared to previous years, said the state authority Hessen Forest in Kassel, which is responsible in particular for the state forest. How great the danger is and where it is depends on how badly a region has been affected by the drought of recent years.
“The persistent extreme weather conditions and consequences have changed the forest throughout Hesse,” explained the forest authority. “Due to various environmental influences, trees in the forests of the Rhine-Main area and in Ried in particular are heavily stressed and their existence is increasingly endangered. But the damage in the forests can also be clearly seen in other regions. Dry branches or entire trees can suddenly fall to the ground here.” However, the dangers caused by dying trees can “ultimately be expected throughout the forest”.
The main influence on the current damage and thus on the risk of a branch breaking off is the water supply of a tree. The main dangers are therefore crests in the low mountain ranges and areas with a southerly or south-western orientation and corresponding solar radiation as well as sometimes the edges of the forest.
Municipalities such as the city of Frankfurt are also monitoring the situation and pointing out the danger to their citizens, “especially before or after a storm, but also in particularly dry times or in snow and ice,” says the environmental department of Hesse’s largest City. In 2022 there was a fatal accident in a forest area in Frankfurt due to a broken branch.
“Due to the drought in recent years, branches have broken off more frequently in the forest, but also in parks and green spaces, and in summer there has also been an increase in green branches breaking off, i.e. the breaking off of apparently healthy branches,” explained a spokeswoman. Hardwood trees are particularly affected. The city inspects trees twice a year as part of road safety. One thing is clear: “Branch breaks or falling trees are typical forest hazards that usually have to be expected.”
Marburg in central Hesse also warns that “due to climate change and the associated drought – especially in 2022 – the risk of branch breakage has increased”. This affects the entire city area, the castle park and other public green spaces, a spokeswoman reported. This also means additional work for securing the paths with more intensive tree checks and more extensive cutting and securing measures. “In addition, there is the increased number of fellings of dead trees or trees that are no longer roadworthy.”
Hessen Forst also takes traffic safety “very seriously”, as a spokeswoman said. The staff is continuously trained and attempts are made to sensitize visitors to the forest to the increasing damage to the trees and the possible dangers associated with it. Once a year, the forest authority checks along public roads and at parks, playgrounds or barbecue areas and removes potentially risky trees. Otherwise, the dangers are typical of the forest and the following applies: “Enter the forest at your own risk”.
Accidents caused by trees will “unfortunately happen again and again, because traffic safety that excludes any damage is practically unattainable,” says Hessen Forst. Trees are “living organisms, a habitat for many species and safety risks are difficult to assess”. The authority therefore advises “always keeping an eye on the treetops” when taking a walk in the forest.
