Written by: Tonmoyee Rani Neog
Germany is one of Europe’s most densely wooded nations, with approximately 11.4 million hectares of forest covering one-third of its national territory. This significant forest coverage underscores Germany’s commitment to maintaining its natural landscapes and biodiversity. The distribution of forests varies across its 16 federal states, reflecting geographic, regional, and climatic differences. For example, Schleswig-Holstein, a northern state with more agricultural and coastal areas, has the lowest forest cover at 11%, while Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, located in central and western Germany, have a forest cover of 42%, making them the most thickly wooded regions. Thus, a diverse ecological profile exists within the country.
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Germans love their Wald (forests), and there’s a good reason for it. Throughout its history, Germany has always been a land of forests. Their love for forests is also reflected in their culture. Whether it’s the invention of the printing press or the making of musical instruments, the setting of the Brothers Grimm stories, or even the names of cities and towns, there’s certainly a direct and indirect connection to German forests, their trees, their wood, or their timber. Following the great timber shortage in Germany over 300 years ago, Carl Von Carlowitz developed the principle of sustainability—to leave the forest for the next generations in a better condition than the present. This remains a top priority in forestry management. Today, 32% of Germany is covered by forests.
An example of the Germans’ special relationship with trees is Waltraut vom Mühlwald (“Waldtraut of the Mill Forest”), a tree in Freiburg’s city forest. Interestingly, every city in Germany has one or more city forests. Waltraut vom Mühlwald is a 106-year-old Douglas fir, measuring 67 meters, and is therefore the tallest tree as well as the largest living creature in Germany. Throughout Germany, there are numerous popular, famous, and record-breaking trees. It’s surprising to note that an oak tree in Eutin, Germany, has its own postal address. Again, in German Romanticism, as exemplified in the works of Eichendorff, Heine, and Novalis, the famous concept of Waldeinsamkeit (forest solitude) emerges as a profound feeling, a longing for escape from the political vicissitudes of the time. This longing reflects a deep-seated desire for an idealized, pristine nature, untainted by human conflicts and intrigues. Within Germanic literary traditions, the forest is elevated to an identity-forming symbol that represents a sanctuary of introspection amidst the turmoil of societal and political realities.
Later, the Nazis twisted Germans’ deep affection for their forests to spread their racist propaganda. They claimed the Germanic race came from German soil, descending from ancient forest-dwelling tribes. In contrast, they falsely portrayed Jews as wandering desert people, implying they didn’t belong to the land of Germans. This manipulated story used nature to make their divisive ideas seem natural, which in turn fueled hatred and separation. Then came the World War and total devastation. The political instrumentalization of the forest decreased in the postwar period. Instead, the forest was chosen as a retreat from the bombed-out cities, offering recreation. In the 1983 German election, a major concern was Waldsterben (or forest dieback), which meant forests were dying. All the political parties made it a key issue. The Green Party entered the German parliament, the Bundestag, for the first time. Newly elected Chancellor Helmut Kohl emphasized the serious damage to forests, stressing their vital role in providing clean water, supporting health, regulating the climate, and shaping Germany’s cultural landscape. This focus on forests united voters and politicians, highlighting the urgent need to protect the forests and the environment.
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During World War II, bombs destroyed many German cities and their trees and forests. The concussion of exploding bombs, collapsing buildings, and strong winds damaged the forests and killed the trees. After the war, people saw burned wood, fallen, and disfigured trees everywhere. Despite the need to heat their homes during wartime winters and after, people in Germany followed ordinances that forbade them to cut down the surviving trees. In the early 1950s, Rudolf Schröder, a young gardener, guided a team of trainees through the deserted, bombed-out areas of Dresden. Their goal was to find young tree saplings to plant along the city streets. Finding young trees or saplings was tough because so many trees in public parks were destroyed. Trees then had to come from nurseries outside the bombed cities. When those nurseries ran out of trees, Schröder and his friends resorted to abandoned gardens. In those abandoned gardens, many saplings had grown on their own. There were enough young trees for some to be taken and replanted along the city streets, while others were left where they grew for a better green space. Germans literally planted saplings in the rubble.
After the war, about 140,000 hectares of forests in Lower Saxony, Germany, which was badly affected, were left bare. To restore these areas, “Kulturfrauen” (Culture Women) played a key role alongside foresters. These women worked tirelessly amidst war-torn Germany to replant trees. The women’s efforts immensely helped revive Germany’s devastated landscape. Their contributions were crucial to Germany’s green recovery. In recognition, West Germany issued a 50-pfennig coin in the 1950s, which engraved a kneeling woman planting an oak tree.
Over time, people learned that forests do more than provide wood. Forests protect soil, store water, create jobs, and boost the economy. They are homes for plants and animals, places for recreation, air filters, and sources of oxygen. As carbon sinks, forests help fight climate change. Today in Germany, forests are not natural wild forests. They are production forests, shaped by humans. They are managed for resources. All nationwide forest policy measures are pooled under the coordination of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The ministry, together with the federal states, supports the implementation of sustainable forest management through several programs at the federal level.
Today, German forests are home to almost 3,000 plant species. Due to the ice ages, the variety of tree species in Germany is very limited. The four most common tree species are spruce, pine, beech, and oak. Together, they account for almost 75 percent of the total forest area. Surprisingly, naturally dead trees are permanently left in the forests for natural development. As an essential biotope for numerous plants and animals, deadwood is an important structural element of forests in Germany.
Only after the fall of the Berlin Wall did Germany flourish as a developed nation. The war-ravaged country learned from its history. Having been devastated by war twice, people understood the importance of planting trees while rebuilding the cities. Every ten years, trees in Germany are inventoried by the National Forest Inventory using GPS devices, tablets, and ultrasonic and laser distance meters for precise measurements. With funding from the Berlin Senate and Technology Stiftung Berlin, the research and development center CityLab Berlin has designed an app called “Giess den Kiez” which means “water the neighborhood.” It is an interactive platform that invites users to keep an eye on local trees and encourages them to water the trees when needed. The app’s map displays more than 600,000 individual trees (both street trees and park trees), showing their species, age, water requirements, and recent rainfall data. Remarkably, it’s common to see Germans using this app to water the trees.
It is also worth mentioning that after the war, German urban planning included planting long-living large trees in the forests and medium-lifespan trees in the cities. It is observed that many city trees are deciduous; that is, their leaves turn yellow and fall off in winter. Most trees planted in the cities are deciduous also to provide shade in summer and let sunlight through in winter. In Germany, cutting down a tree is illegal. Mature trees that need to be removed from their original location due to construction, landscaping, or other reasons are relocated with the help of experts and machinery to ensure they survive, preserving them for future generations. Additionally, in dry regions, young trees with shallow roots are protected from dying due to water scarcity in hot weather by using watering bags. These bags keep the roots moist for longer and shield the trees from extreme heat. The bags also help protect the tree’s roots from mechanical damage.
After this discussion, it feels surprising to see trees being cut down for so-called development, leading to grave consequences. We must preserve trees for greenery and for future generations. To cut down trees in the name of development requires deep reflection and strong criticism. While development is indeed necessary, it should not come at the cost of environmental destruction. Such short-sighted approaches carry grave consequences. A sustainable and environmentally responsible approach to development is the need of the hour. Balancing development with environmental conservation is not just a moral obligation but also a strategic necessity for the well-being of both present and future generations.
The question we must ask is: by cutting down trees, who are we building roads and bridges for? For cars or for people? If the importance of wider roads lies solely in letting vehicles move faster, then that is truly unfortunate. Roads must first and foremost be for the people. In a developing country, most people walk, cycle, or use public transportation. Therefore, their relationship with the roads is different from those who only drive. Roads are not just for transit—they are spaces for social interactions as well. While building broader roads and pursuing development is important, if we prioritize pedestrians—human beings—then we surely won’t have to strip away the green cover from our neighborhoods by cutting down so many trees.
Tonmoyee Rani Neog is a writer-researcher based in Wolfsburg, Germany. She can be reached at [email protected].