Protecting forests – a job for us all

The vast majority of Germans visit forests to relax and unwind, do sport or just enjoy quietly observing the flora and fauna that thrive in the special woodland climate. Extreme temperatures – during the hot months of summer or icy winter period – are moderated by the dense vegetation. The air is more humid and winds are less strong. The rain doesn’t batter away at the ground unchecked but softly patters down onto a carpet of leaves, allowing the ­water to seep in more slowly. As a result, no erosion is caused by wind or water.

The true value of the forest is often only recognised once it is no longer there, however. Why are water sources suddenly drying up? Why is fertile soil being eroded? Why is there a lack of firewood and timber for construction? Why does the summer heat feel unbearable?

By the end of the Middle Ages, Germany’s forests had all but disappeared. They lost their power to regenerate as everyday needs increased and economic pressure grew. Large-scale clearances to create agricultural land, intensive utilisation of forests for the grazing of cattle, pigs, goats and sheep, and the felling of trees for use as firewood, charcoal and timber contributed to their decline. Mining, for example in the Ore and Harz Mountains and in the salt regions of northwestern Germany, would have been impossible without a constant supply of wood. Further forms of exploitation, such as the use of forest litter (such as decayed leaves) for fertiliser, the production of soap and glass from ash and the use of oak bark for tanning, led to the deforestation of large areas.

The topsoil was also lost along with the woods, being either washed or blown away. What remained was often just bare rock, of no use to agriculture and virtually impossible to revegetate. The local climate also changed noticeably: without the cooling effect of the forest, the soil was exposed and unprotected against the sun’s radiation. Heat, drought and periodic water shortages became a problem for humankind and nature. In the second half of the nineteenth century, these developments culminated in famines and a wave of emigration – northern Germany with its ravaged sandy earth and unstable inland dunes was hit particularly hard.

And yet, in around 1680, people in the area ­covered by Germany today had already started to take active steps to protect their woodlands. Historical usage rights were rescinded, training of foresters began and forest management institutions were created. Woodland and forest laws were introduced, the utilisation of forests was regulated and barren land was reforested. This all took a very long time, and successes were not immediately visible. Other countries were only to follow suit much later. Gradually, however, a new attitude became established, with an awareness of forest-related issues and deep concern about the threat of losing forests shaping the public consciousness.

There was an outcry around the world when the “Global 2000” report was handed over to then US President Jimmy Carter in July 1980. The document painted a vivid picture of how populations, water, the climate and forests would develop on a global level. The predicted loss of species-rich trop­ical forests in particular served as a wake-up call.

„Sustainable reforestation can only be achieved through education, exchange and cooperation.“

But how can global deforestation in fact be halted? Is today’s situation not comparable to the plight once faced by people during the famines in Central Europe? Can local communities use their forests while preserving them at the same time?

No government can afford to place all woodland areas under absolute protection. Another ­aspect that is often forgotten is that every square ­metre of forest has an owner, often one with vested ­usage rights. The challenges are global – and were openly discussed in 1992 at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. 178 nations attended and made a commitment to sustainable development and to reconciling economic growth with social justice and protection of the environment. The involvement of everyone – including indigenous groups and the private sector – was enshrined in the agreement.

Yet many of the programmes created at the time failed to be implemented in practice. Where should reforestation take place? Which areas are available and suitable? Which methods can be used to achieve this? Are enough experts available?

One glimmer of hope came in the form of the Bonn Challenge, a global initiative that was established in 2011. With the support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration and the German government, measurable targets were defined for the first time: 150 million hectares of deforested and degraded land were to be restored worldwide by 2020 – and as much as 350 million hectares by 2030. The objective was not only to protect the climate but also to boost biodiversity and create income opportunities for local populations. By the end of 2024, more than 70 countries had pledged to regenerate over 210 million hectares of land.

The question that now arises in 2025 is whether these targets have been achieved – or are they indeed achievable at all? The IUCN’s Bonn Challenge Barometer indicates the current status: despite big promises, many places have failed to implement projects. But why?

One key reason is that local circumstances have not been given sufficient consideration. Different climates, changed vegetation and uncertain ownership conditions all make planning and funding more difficult. Public and private funding is often slow to materialise, and there is a lack of models to incentivise investments in reforestation.

As so often, the answer to the question of how to overcome these capacity-related and financial hurdles lies in knowledge and trust. Sustainable reforestation can only be achieved through education, exchange and cooperation. Training of experts, international exchange between students and between lecturers, the transfer of knowledge to universities and specialist administrative bodies, international conferences and the involvement of former DAAD scholarship holders, who tend to be very well connected internationally within their respective fields, are all essential as long-term and inter­generational elements of targeted international cooper­ation.

Experts from the global forest sector, including DAAD alumnae and alumni, agree that reforestation will only be successful if certain requirements are met. Not only does this mean ensuring for example that the ownership of the land to be regenerated has been legally clarified and is not in dispute; it also requires site-specific management plans to be drawn up that involve all interested parties and can be assessed at both the local and international levels. Interdisciplinary monitoring is necessary to identify any problems at an early stage and allow planning to be adapted accordingly. Furthermore, a transparent system of funding allocation and transfer to participants, and steps to ensure that funds reliably reach those implementing the projects on the ground, are vital. And last but not least, selecting the right new tree species to plant will also have a crucial bearing on the successful outcome: the trees – especially native species – must be suitable for the local area and be chosen with foresight. They need not only to grow rapidly at first but also to last for at least the next few decades. After all, a near-natural forest ecosystem comprises more than just trees and must serve as a functioning habitat for a wide range of different organisms, plants and animals – and ultimately also for humans. —

Professor Ralph Mitlöhner holds the chair in tropical silviculture at the University of Göttingen and conducts research on complex natural forest systems in South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, specialising in the different ways in which tree species react to local factors in dry or humid regions. His concepts are applied for example in the management of buffer zones in protected areas, in the recultivation of former mining areas and in large-scale reforestation programmes. The DAAD alumnus has been involved in several DAAD selection committees and coordinated various partnerships.