The spruce dominates many forests.
A new nature trail near Mittelstetten shows what you can plant instead and how you can make the forest fit for the future.
Mittelstetten -
"Why another educational forest trail?" One could ask, "said Stefan Warsönke from the Bruck Forestry Office to the around two dozen participants who had set out for the forest walk.
But the new route through the forest in the Mittelstetten district of Längenmoos does not show those new to nature which native trees there are and how the forest ecosystem works.
No, it is aimed at those who are already knowledgeable: Above all, private forest owners should be shown possible methods of forest conversion on a one kilometer long circular route with twelve stations.
The topic is on everyone's lips, but only a few know exactly how it works in practice.
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District forester Anita Ottmann in front of the signs explaining the forest conversion.
© Weber
The "Big Wood" on the ridge south of Längenmoos is an old "Rechtlerwald", ie owned by the village, and like so many, it is practically a spruce monoculture.
Break aisles can be seen in some places.
But, as the foresters emphasized several times during the tour, they did not want to end the old, fast-growing and high-yielding "bread tree", even if as a shallow root it has little to counter the increasing storms and is also a bark beetle's favorite.
“We don't demonize the spruce,” said Warsönke and district forester Anita Ottmann.
They will also have their place in the "next generation of forests" - but no longer in this quantity and density.
There are a number of alternatives.
Larch, Douglas fir, fir among the conifers, as deciduous trees beech, oak, maple or the rediscovered service tree.
What best suits the location with its microclimate and incidence of light and its soil conditions can be discussed with the advisory foresters.
“There won't be one ideal substitute bread tree for the spruce,” said the foresters.
In principle, however, as on the stock market, “broad diversification” is the safest investment.
After all, the timber market is sometimes highly speculative, as one forest farmer noted.
The new mixed forest could grow on a clear-cut area or as a new generation in the shade of existing tall trees.
Often it is advisable to “hedge” the old forest, a strip up to 50 meters wide on the north-east side of the old forest facing away from the storm.
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Mystical mood in the future forest: Stefan Warsönke recommends a wide range of tree species.
© Weber
A separate topic is the protection of the young shoots.
A kind of test site with plastic covers or veneer lattices has been set up in the "Big Wood".
Among other things, the so-called Woodland Wonder can see, a loose linkage
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grow the young sapling.
In view of the remains left behind by the deer, however, one must speak of an "unsuccessful attempt", the guides admitted.
"We cannot protect all young trees, we need the help of the hunters," said the walk on the subject of game browsing.
They were apparently also invited, but at least they hadn't sent an official representative.
Other animals that have returned home, on the other hand, have a better reputation with the civil servant foresters, even if not with the colleagues responsible for agriculture from the same house.
On the way back the entourage moved on a troubled path.
“Wild traces”, as tracker Ottmann recognized.
They actually do the forest floor good with their digging work.
They just don't like protective fences around new plantings.
Olf Paschen
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