Transforming the forest

The traces of a very small, but very busy creature are plain to see and the once dense pine forests are dying in many places. Bark beetles are flourishing because of the dry summers in recent years. “The bark beetle has helped us in the national park and has accelerated the transformation of the forest,” says Hendrik Behrens. “But at the same time it is a disaster for the commercial forests in the Harz.” He knows what he is talking about, because he grew up on a farm where there was also a forestry business. “We need the timber industry just as much as we do the natural forests,” he emphasises. “Wood is an essential part of our daily lives. It is used to make beds, toilet paper, tables, chairs and chopping boards.”

While active measures are being taken to eradicate the bark beetle in the commercial plantations with the aim of ensuring a good yield in the long term, in the national park, nature is being allowed to take its course. One exception is the 500-metre-wide bark beetle protection strips that have been created to protect the commercial forests on the edges of the national park. These have become valuable open spaces that provide a suitable habitat for yellowhammers, red kites, roe deer, hares and many other species.

Echtzeit - Online Magazin - Experiencing nature at first hand