Bleak News for Germany’s Ailing Forests

After one of the hottest summers in recorded history, Germany’s forests have barely had time to recover before more bad news follows. The recently published Federal Forest Report states that only one third of all trees in Germany’s woods are healthy, around 31 percent of the country’s forestation, down from 35 percent 2002. High temperatures, long persistent dryness of soil and increasing ozone levels have particularly hit the nation’s oak trees with a reported 83 percent falling ill, an increase of 10 percent on 2002. The report ominously states that although things look bleak now the full extent of the damage will only be known in the next few years with tree damaging parasites boosted by this year’s weather conditions increasing in numbers.