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Where are the foresters? Local council discusses forest in record time!
Foresters in the Alb-Donau district discuss forest management, climate factors and challenges such as ash shoot dieback in Nellingen.
Where are the foresters? Local council discusses forest in record time!
At the most recent meeting of the Nellingen local council, the forest issue was dealt with in less than three minutes. The condition of our forests is anything but trivial. Mayor Christoph Jung summed it up: Personnel savings in the forestry sector ensure that foresters only appear in person upon request. This development means that some local council members, such as Markus Hagmeyer, are missing. He regrets that the absence of the foresters misses the connection to the current challenges of forest management. Although information on forest management is available digitally, there is often no substitute for a direct conversation.
What's on the agenda for 2026? According to the plans, those responsible expect revenues of 97,438 euros and expenses of 77,392 euros, which would mean a profit of around 20,000 euros. Due to ongoing staff reductions resulting from retirements and job changes, the areas managed are becoming larger and larger. This is done in view of the challenges posed by climate change and its impact on our forests.
The forest situation and its challenges
Dr. Jan Duvenhorst, the head of forestry and nature conservation, reported an overall positive year for the forest, despite warm months and sufficient rainfall. Damage from drought, insects and storms was normal, but the ongoing threat of ash shoot dieback remains alarming. This phenomenon, caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, has reached alarming proportions in Germany since 2002. Scientists and foresters are working intensively on solutions and knowledge on this topic is now also available through the large research project FraxForFuture, which has published important guidelines for forestry practice.
The goals of the project are clear: long-term maintenance of stable ash populations and the provision of basic recommendations for action. This includes promoting natural ash regeneration and maintaining vital ash trees in all growth classes. But implementation takes courage, because new silvicultural measures are only effective if they are approached carefully. Unfortunately, the financing of such projects that were provided through the Forest Climate Fund will no longer be continued.
Courage to the ash tree? A question for the future
The appeal to the forestry industry is to find the “courage to use ash” in the face of new climatic challenges. Further research into alternatives is on the agenda, but planting other ash species is not recommended due to uncertain risks. Instead, the experts recommend native tree species as a replacement. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will bear fruit, as the identification of less susceptible ash trees is currently still in the testing phase.
Amid all these challenges, it is clear that forest management faces a number of complex tasks. And while the numbers for 2026 seem promising, the question remains whether the framework conditions will be successful in maintaining healthy and robust forests in Baden-Württemberg in the future.
For further information on developments in the forestry sector, online resources are available that provide comprehensive information about the forest situation.