Why is the forest doing so badly?
What are the causes of the changes in the forest?
Storms, heat, drought and pests - all causes of the current state of the forest in Südwestfalen.
The forest has been a popular place of recreation for recreation-seeking citizens and vacation guests in Sauerland and Siegen-Wittgenstein for decades and is also the livelihood of many local forest owners. Unfortunately, in recent years an increasing number of storms, long dry periods in the summer and, last but not least, pests such as the bark beetle have severely weakened and affected the forest stands. Spruce, which is found in large stands in Südwestfalen, is particularly affected. Instead of green conifers, brown, dead spruce trees now dominate the landscape in many places.
But what kind of animal is it that destroys such large areas of forest?
District forester Anna-Maria Hille explains how the bark beetle harms our trees:
