Author: Sebastian Bertram / Published: 29.09.2022
Corona, war in Ukraine, forest fires, crop failures: There was no "summer slump" in Europe this year. The media were full of horror stories that reached us every day - and continue to do so to this day.
This ignored the reality of the time: this year's monsoon rains in Pakistan triggered one of the worst flood disasters ever to hit the South Asian country. Three times more rain than usual fell there in August. The global forecasts for the future sound no less ominous: regions will be flooded, glaciers will melt and deserts will spread.
The main driver of climate change is the greenhouse effect. Heat from the sun enters the earth's atmosphere and gases prevent it from radiating back into space, thus causing global warming. Many of these greenhouse gases are of natural origin. However, as a result of human activity, the concentration of some gases has increased dramatically in recent decades. This applies in particular to carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. In addition to the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, the main causes of this are considered to be the intensification of livestock farming and deforestation.
Trees regulate the climate by absorbing CO2 - at least that was the law of nature for a long time. This positive effect is increasingly being lost due to deforestation and forest dieback. The carbon stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere, where it contributes to the greenhouse effect. The effects are: too little or too much rain, monocultures, forest fires and insect infestation.
Photo: Adobe Stock
One crucial way to stop this development and make a contribution to climate protection is for us humans to change our lifestyle as quickly as possible! This means, for example, buying more regional products and sustainable consumption, reducing animal products, eating more fruit and vegetables, producing less packaging waste and, of course, saving energy.
But we can't do it alone. We need nature to help us improve our ecological footprint. Nature itself is its own best protector and can contribute to climate protection. Instead of watching forests being wiped out, we need to do the exact opposite: Make forests more resilient again - as the most natural of all climate protection measures.
Reforestation is one of the solutions to this problem: planting trees or sowing seeds with the aim of reforestation, often as renaturation of a forest that has disappeared. If the area to be afforested was previously forested, it is reforestation, otherwise it is initial afforestation.
As is the case with many things that a lot of people are suddenly banking on, this environmental protection measure also has its downside. It is not just private individuals who want to take action against climate change by planting trees. Companies have also discovered this issue for themselves. Millions of euros are raised in this way.
A lot of money that can literally make a big difference: namely clearing huge areas of dead forest by machine in order to replant them as quickly as possible. But often without the desired effect - no matter how hard attempts are made to sell precisely this effect as part of PR campaigns. The principle of "greenwashing" can therefore certainly offer solutions for a greener image - but effective climate protection measures look different.
The principle of "greenwashing" can therefore certainly offer solutions for a greener image - but effective climate protection measures look different.
Truly sustainable reforestation work must give the forest enough space and time to recover on its own. Because a tree is more than just a seedling. On average, a tree needs at least 20 to 30 years to become the "crown of oxygen creation". Unfortunately, many seedlings don't even make it that far.
Often, the long-term development of the cultivation area can neither be controlled nor guaranteed. The quantity of new plantations should therefore not be the decisive criterion. As with our consumer behavior in general, the focus should also be on quality when it comes to reforestation.
In Germany, there is also a bureaucratic problem: Forest owners receive extensive state subsidies for tree planting, the conversion of coniferous forest into mixed forest and other reforestation measures. The only requirement is that the land must already be registered as forest. These subsidies even flow after the clearing of dead spruce monocultures. On closer inspection, this is an ecological disaster! This is because new damage is caused not only by driving over the areas with heavy clearing vehicles, but also by removing the dead trees.
If the latter intervention were not carried out, the deadwood could take on an elementary function for the young generation of trees by providing shade and storing water. Against this background, supporting reforestation projects on such areas seems pointless. On the contrary: they actually stand in the way of nature's self-healing process. Without human intervention, numerous trees and a wide variety of tree species would colonize such areas within a very short time.
Reforestation projects worthy of support are therefore limited to areas where no forest has yet grown. Only these really ensure more forest in Germany.
Photos: AdobeStock
If Germany were completely left to nature, more than 90 percent of it would be covered by forest. Originally, this country is home to mixed forests, mainly consisting of beech and oak. These forests are extremely robust and resistant to storms and fire. Old beech forests are also considered to be the rainforests of Europe. However, like their counterparts in the tropics, they are under massive threat. Today, there are no longer any large contiguous primeval forests in Germany. The old trees are also becoming increasingly rare.
Beech forests that are 180 years old or older only make up 0.16 percent of the land area. One initiative that is successfully working to preserve these old tree populations is the primeval beech forest project of forester, conservationist and author Peter Wohlleben (including "The Secret Life of Trees"). Together with the Rhineland-Palatinate municipality of Wershofen, the forest academy run by well-known talk show guest Wohlleben manages around 100 hectares of beech forest in the Eifel region - with the intention of not felling any more trees there for the next 50 years.
An area of two square meters can be protected with a donation of just 9.50 euros. The forest owners use the proceeds to compensate for the loss from the lost timber harvest and the withdrawal of usage rights for at least 50 years. The protection of the area is secured in the land register by a notary, which provides the forest with consistent and sustainable protection.
An area of two square meters can be protected with a donation of just 9.50 euros. The forest owners use the proceeds to compensate for the loss of timber harvesting and the withdrawal of usage rights for at least 50 years.
We at Good Wilhelm support the primeval beech forest project with our sustainably produced non-profit product leather coaster Max
Not that it has any use of its own: as a discreet and stylish base for glasses, cups, jugs and vases.
But even more importantly, we donate all the profits from the sale of Max to Peter Wohlleben's primeval beech forest project. Each coaster finances one square meter of old beech forest for 50 years. This is an important first step when you consider that many animals, such as the middle spotted woodpecker, only colonize beech forests when the trees are 200 years old or older.
The Max leather coaster is therefore in line with Good Wilhelm's generally high ecological standards. This is expressed in our fair and sustainable manufacturing processes and in the use of our materials, including vegetable leather, mulesing-free wool felt and organic cotton. We donate ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of all our products to sustainable environmental projects.
Of course, we would like to encourage you to make your contribution to protecting the climate and biodiversity in the primeval beech forest project, even without Max. With only 4.75 euros per square meter you are part of it! For 50 years, without recurring costs. For your donation, you will also receive a certificate with detailed information on the location of the conservation area.
Photo: GOOD WILHELM
If you would like to find out more about forest protection, we have a tip for you:
The Forest Climate Summit 2022 will take place in Berlin on October 4 and 5, 2022.
The congress initiated by Peter Wohllebens Waldakademie brings together science, politics, culture, business and nature conservation NGOs. Possible measures to combat climate change are discussed. As the organizers want to make the knowledge available to everyone, they are also broadcasting the event free of charge in a livestream.
Read now:
Author: Clemens Burkert / Published: 17.06.2022
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