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Soil protection lime starts: Breathe a sigh of relief for the forests in the Steinachtal!
From July 2025, soil protective limening will begin in the Rhine-Neckar district in order to regenerate acidified forest soils and strengthen the vitality of the forests.
Soil protection lime starts: Breathe a sigh of relief for the forests in the Steinachtal!
In Baden-Württemberg, an extensive measure for soil protective limewashing will begin on July 1, 2025 in the forest areas of Dossenheim, Schriesheim, Wilhelmsfeld, Heiligkreuzsteinach and Schönau. Two helicopters will bring in finely ground dolomite rock, which contains valuable calcium and magnesium, over an area of more than 1,000 hectares. The output quantity is 3.21 tonnes per hectare, which is the equivalent of 321 grams per square meter. This measure was carefully prepared over an almost two-year planning phase based on a soil science report from the FVA Freiburg. The total costs amount to almost 500,000 euros net, with private forest owners with areas of less than 30 hectares receiving 100% funding. For larger areas, the funding is 90%, as rhein-neckar-kreis.de reports.
Why is this measure necessary? The soils in Baden-Württemberg are heavily polluted by air pollutants, which has led to nutrient losses and soil acidification. “Regeneration-oriented soil protection lime” therefore serves to restore damaged forest soils in order to enable their original functions again. The aim is to create a stable basis for the “forest community” and at the same time to cushion future pressures such as climate change. Particular attention is paid to maintaining biodiversity and the health of the ecosystem - not to increasing yields, according to the Baden-Württemberg State Forestry Administration on landesforstverwaltung-bw.de.
Severe impact on the forest
Soil protective limewashing could lead to a positive change in soil conditions. Studies show that limed soils have a significant increase in pH and base saturation. In unlimed locations, however, the acidification of the mineral soil often continues. In addition, microbial activity is expected to increase in limed areas, which is important for the entire ecosystem. The introduction of lime promotes the growth of primary decomposers such as earthworms and millipedes. These increase the quality of the soil, as the Thünen Institute explains in its analysis, which can be found on thuenen.de.
However, caution is required: the forest areas must be temporarily closed during liming for safety reasons. There is no risk to health from the lime material itself, although dust may be generated. In addition, lime-sensitive areas are consistently excluded in order not to endanger species, nature and water protection.
Look into the future
The measure is expected to take four weeks, although the weather can be a factor. The regeneration of forest ecosystems is of great importance both for the surrounding nature and for the people who depend on the health of this valuable habitat. With a good knack for sustainable forest management, a decisive step towards a more stable and vital forest is taken. It remains to be hoped that liming not only combats the immediate negative effects of acidification, but also serves as long-term protection against new pollution.