Würzburg City Forest: Green jewel cools the city and protects the climate!

Würzburg City Forest: Green jewel cools the city and protects the climate!

The discussion surrounding the Würzburg city forest is currently causing great interest, particularly with regard to the effects of climate change and the associated measures to preserve and care for this valuable ecosystem. On June 5th, an informative excursion by the Catholic Rural People's Movement (KLB) Würzburg took place in the Steinbachtal, during which Karl-Georg Schönmüller, head of the Würzburg Forestry Office, spoke urgently about the role of the city forest for the urban population. The forest lowers temperatures by 3 to 4 degrees on hot summer days. This means that the city forest not only functions as a beautiful local recreation area, but also as an important CO2 storage and water retention area pow.bistum-wuerzburg.de reported.

The relevance of the urban forest is also evident in the positive development that has taken place after a wet winter and beneficial rainfall in the spring. The condition of the forest has improved, which is emphasized by Helge Bert Grob, head of the garden department. With around 1,000 hectares and around 500,000 trees, the city forest in Würzburg has better water availability than other forested areas in Germany. However, the situation remains tense due to the extreme weather conditions of recent years mainpost.de informed.

Water management and reforestation projects

In order to increase water availability and reduce runoff during heavy rainfall, numerous retention troughs were created in the urban forest. These measures are intended to help stabilize water supplies and provide the trees with an adequate supply of food even in dry months. Although wood harvesting is regulated at a maximum of 4,000 cubic meters per year and focuses primarily on damaged trees, foresters are also trying to strengthen biodiversity. For example, experiments are being carried out with heat-resistant tree species in order to withstand climate change and increase the resilience of the forest. The current project to reforest 6.5 hectares by 2029 plans to plant 10,000 to 15,000 new trees every year mainpost.de points out.

Furthermore, the Natural Forest Academy provided important insights into how forests in Germany and especially the Würzburg city forest can deal with the challenges of climate change. A comprehensive literature study examines how forest management not only optimizes carbon storage, but also increases resistance to various stress factors such as heat, drought or pests. Joint projects such as “MoniFor” and the “Forest Alliance” show that systematic change in forest management is necessary in order to meet the challenges of the future, as shown on the website Natural Forest Academy can be read.

Challenges and future outlook

Despite the positive developments, the situation in the urban forest remains challenging. A variety of tree species, including beech, pine and spruce, have been battling persistent heatwaves and drought since 2018. Forest management is therefore increasingly tailored to the conditions of nature in order to ensure the vitality and health of the forest. As part of a long-term plan, not only new tree species will be introduced, but native components such as the oak trees, which are over 60 cm thick, will also be preserved. In addition, the wild boar problem is countered with regular hunting, as the wild boars cause damage to the young plants, such as mainpost.de reported.

The Würzburg city forest is facing an exciting and essential phase of transformation and adaptation to the realities of climate change. As was clear from the excursion, awareness of its importance as a natural resource has increased. Bird calls and biodiversity are evidence of a living ecosystem that is worth protecting.