4. Forest Issues and Trends

4.1 Environmental Issues in Forestry

4.1.1 Forest Decline


New Types of Forest Damage and Countermeasures
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Air pollution is one of the primar damage factor for our forests; an important part is played by
sulphur dioxide which comes from power and heating plants, industry and household burners.
Nitrogen oxides which emanate largely from the exhaust pipes of our cars, cause damage to
vegetation, too. Together with hydrocarbons and under the influence of the sun­s energy, they are
converted into photooxidants, e.g. ozone. Photooxidants are strongly poisonous to plants and cells.
They presumably play a substantial part in the damage done to the higher mountain forests.
In addition there are other air pollutants like heavy metals (e.g. lead), hydrocarbons, fluorine and
chlorine, which have to be considered as the cause of forest damage. Several air pollutants may
mutually increase their effects. Unfavourable weather conditions and the appearance of secondary
pests increase the damage.


Development of the Damage
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Forest damage has always existed: frost, drought and other natural stresses have constantly attacked
our forests. In the vivinity of industrial plants, they were damaged by polluted air. Moreover the
overcutting which humans practised in the forests for centuries has left visible scars.
However, the present situation causes concern because now the damage of forests, type, extent and
propagation of which are new, is even found in the supposedly "clean air areas" which are far away
from any industry.
This damage was first observed in the middle of the 70s, initially to the firs in the high elevations of
the north eastern Bavarian Middle Mountains. In the winter of 1980/81 spruces and pines showed
striking needle loss in large areas of Bavaria. The first major damages to the deciduos trees appeared
in the dry summer of 1982.
The damage to the forests is continuously monitored in long-term forest observation areas, by the
investigation of bioindicators (mosses, lichens, conifers) and aerial survey evaluation and forest
damage inventories.

The results of the forest damage inventory of 1988 show that:
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* 18% of the Bavarian Forests are seriously or averagely damaged (more than 60% or 26 -
60% loss of needles or leaves).
* 39% are slightly damaged (1-25% loss of needles or leaves).

Recently the increasing number of damaged oaks is a primar issue for the future research work.


4.1.2 Calamities in Forestry

Extreme weather conditions such as wet snow, storms, drought and frost repeatedly cause serious
damage to German forests. Moreover animal or plant pests (e.g. bark beetles, pine noctua/Panolis
flammea, nun moth/Lymantria monacha, gipsy moth/Porthetria dispar, oak leafroller/Tortrix
viridana L. or fungi) can cause tree mortality and can even destroy complete stands.
The greater the diversity of tree species, the more stable is the natural balance of the forest as a living
comunity. This is another important reason for planting mixed stands instead of the more susceptible
(spruce) monocultures. Site-adapted silviculture employing intensive tending and particular measures
for biological forest protection can provide prophylactic action against mass reproduction of forest
pests (tending of birds, bats and ants).
To prevent the reproduction of bark beetles, the breeding material suitable for the pest must be
removed, e.g. by burning the bark. Bark beetle traps are used to monitor and control the number of
beetles.

In Germany storms are the most important non-biotic danger for forests. The recent storms of the
year 1990 (Vivian and Wiebke) showed the immense susceptibility of a great part of German forests,
especially within instable conifer stands: A wood substance of about 75 mio m3 was the result of
these two storm events. This volume amounts to the 'normal' logging of almost two years. The
consequences for the German timber trade were dramatical. An irresistible slump of the pit-head
prices for spruce wood (average quality), e.g. in South-West Germany from 167 marks/m3 before the
storm event (January 1990) to 93 marks/m3 (regionally even less) afterwards (April 1990), and the
immense volume of wind damaged wood had a harmful effect on the German forest economy.
Another consequence was the problem of timber storage over a long period. The state forest
authorities had to pay regard to the pivate forest owners concerning the lumber merchandising on a
shaked timber market.
After clearing the storm damage large and woodless areas had to be reestablished. Private owners
received financial subsidies from the government in order to compensate their losses in selling the
wood for a low price.



4.1.3 Browsing of Game and Natural Regeneration

Our local game is dependent on the forest for its habitat. Too much game can cause substantial
damage in the forests, however. In view of the threat, primarily to the older forest stands, from the
new types of damage, natural locally adapted young forests must be able to grow up as rapidly as
possible. The precondition is a stocking of game suitable for the local conditions. The forests would
regenerate naturally over wide areas; but often the young trees - especially deciduous trees and fir
(abies alba) - are browsed by roe deer, red deer and chamois and thus cannot grow. Another effect is
that spruce and pine regenerate on these stands which causes a repressing of decidous trees and fir
("Verfichtung") even on those sites which are not naturally suitable for spruce and fir.
Moreover red deer cause substantial damage by debarking trees. The interaction of forest decline and
game damage is especially critical where expensive fencing fails to give protection, due to deep snow
and steep slopes in the mountain forests. In some regions of Germany broadleaved species wouldn't
have any chance to regenerate naturally or grow up at all if the stands were not protected by fences.

In planning the game harvest, the state of the vegetation, especially of the regeneration, is used as an
index of the tenable game density. The forest authorities sample data on browsing damage done to
young trees and prepare a status report on the state of regeneration. Forest owners, hunting
cooperatives and the owners of the hunting right as well as the hunting authorities receive this report
which is then used as a guideline for planning the annual game harvest.



4.2 Trends and Conflicts between Forestry, Nature Conservation and Recreation


In Germany there also exist plenty of problems concerning the appropriate forest management. The
plurality of different interests as to the forest causes conflicts between the different land users as well
as between people who are handling with forest for any other reason (e.g. forest owners,
environmentalists, hunters, naturalists, people doing wintersports or other recreational activities,
etc...).

In the last few years the controversy between forestry and nature conservation more and more got
into public discussion. But forestry and nature conservation have much in common, and there are
many modes of procedure inherent to the system which coincide with the aims of nature
conservation. Saying, that forestry is applied nature conservation, however, is too simple and
expressed in such short words even wrong. In many sectors of biotope and endangered species
protection in the forest, much more can be done especially if mutual information and confidence
increase.
Nature conservation and forestry have to be conscious about their responsibility also for those parts
of nature which are neither directly used by man nor appear in lists for endangered species. Especially
forestry's aims should not only be concentrated on anthropocentric concepts, even though its dealings
- production of raw material that is environmentally friendly, utmost abstention from the use of toxic
substances, and an operation that is altogether relatively natural - are less problematic than those of
other land users.

From the viewpoint of nature conservation, a number of demands are formulated in respect to forestry:

Forestry should not be restricted to timber production only; there had to be a development towards
multi-functional forestry according to the laws of nature. In this sense, high value yields could be
achieved; and yet close orientation towards natural tree species composition would be possible, thus
satisfying both economical and ecological demands.
Forestry defined in such a way could offer structural multitude on a defined area and thus also a
maximum of ecological and economical stability. The aspired structural abundance would make
possible a profusion of small animal habitats and consequently also expanse for adventure and a high
recreational value for people themselves.

For the public forests, nature conservationists and a more critical public are expecting realization of
their demands. In private forests, many of these wishes - yet not all of them - are fulfilled
automatically as many large private forestry enterprises managed in accordance with the laws of
nature have proved in the past. For the remaining services, private forest owners should be offered
programs that are similar to those for landscape preservation of the Bavarian Ministry for the
Environment, or respective plans of the Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture for farmers. Under such
conditions, demands of nature conservation towards forestry could be fulfilled not only by the state
forests but also on private woodlands without economical losses by their owners.

Another conflict potential cause the increasing leisure time activities. Because of the growing mobility
more and more people are visiting forests to enjoy their outdoor activities such as mountain biking,
skiing, horseback riding, canoeing, paragliding and others or just to enjoy nature. In that way the
social function of forest gets more and more important. Conflicts between forest administration and
people looking for recreation in or nearby forests are unavoidable because of their different
understanding of forest, forest management and timber production. The state forest administration
could solve this problem by improving public relation activities and by informing the public more in
detail.