STATUS QUO

The prolonged drought, extreme heat, and storms associated with the adverse effects of climate change have caused unprecedented disruption to forest ecosystems in Germany. This has led to major bark beetle outbreaks that have severely affected spruce monocultures and resulted in hundreds of thousands of hectares of clear-cut forests in need of regeneration.
Due to unfavorable climatic conditions, which are particularly pronounced in large clear-cut areas, natural forest regeneration is often hindered and forests are on the verge of degradation. Therefore, we urgently need alternative solutions to current forest regeneration measures that are tailored to the emerging clearcut areas and can mitigate the risks associated with future climate uncertainty.
To date, planting is often the preferred method of forest regeneration, but it is expensive in terms of labor, time, and money. In addition, planted trees are often associated with disrupted root development and less stable future stands. Direct seeding, which is less time-consuming, easier to implement in inaccessible areas, and has a lower initial cost, is increasingly being considered as an alternative method of forest regeneration.

THE PROJECT

This project aims to test direct seeding with drones and pelleted seeds as a potential measure for the regeneration of mixed forests by converting former Norway spruce stands in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, favoring the establishment of a predominantly pioneer plant community and a mixture of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. In addition to seeding woody plants, herbaceous plants will be used to establish a cover crop - a method widely used in agriculture but novel in forestry - to improve the microclimate for tree germination and increase biomass and necromass inputs into the soil.

The expected project outcomes are:

1. Successful conversion of former spruce monocultures to mixed stands, thereby improving ecosystem functioning and the resilience of future forests.
2. Best practice guidelines for restoration of mixed forests through conversion of Norway spruce stands by direct seeding.
3. Raising awareness of the challenging nature of forest regeneration under the pressure of climate change and the importance of a holistic approach to forest regeneration.