25/08/2021
Forest Report 2021: How We Protect Our Trees
Forest Report 2021: How We Protect Our Forests
By guest author M. Schwarz
How is our forest doing? The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, also responsible for German forestry, knows. One-third of our country is forested, a high figure in Europe. The tree crowns are evaluated annually in samples -- in the Forest Condition Survey. The condition of a tree's crown tells us something about its overall health.
A comprehensive health check of the green giants is published once per legislative period. In July 2021, the federal government released the current Forest Report. The results of the over 80-page report are sobering.
A Healthy Forest is Vital for Survival
Those who think they live in the city and don't need forests are mistaken. Because without forests, we could not survive. Why are the approximately 11.5 million hectares of forest so important for Germany?
Three reasons why you should love and protect your forest:
1. The Green Lung: Trees generate our oxygen, and in groups -- as forests -- they produce vast amounts. They convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO²) into glucose through photosynthesis. As a byproduct of this chemical process, water vapor and, most importantly, the oxygen vital for us are released back into the atmosphere.
2. Climate Protector: During photosynthesis, trees store enormous amounts of carbon in their wood: Annually, forests bind almost 60 million tons of the climate-damaging greenhouse gas CO2. As long as carbon is stored in the wood, it cannot contribute to further increasing the Earth's temperature as carbon dioxide. Therefore, forests are significant climate protectors.
3. Drinking Water Producer: Almost half of Germany's water protection areas are located in forests. Forest soil is not fertilized, is dense, and filters water very well. Therefore, drinking water from the forest is particularly clean.
"Strong as an Oak"? -- The Real State of Our Forests
"Strong as an oak" is a German saying. But that no longer holds true today -- our trees are in worse condition than ever. They suffer massive damage from the consequences of climate change:
Extreme Heat and Drought
Persistent high temperatures and too little rain are causing spruces to die off. Additionally, over 80 percent of the trees have thin, unhealthy crowns.
Harmful Insects
Insects like the bark beetle or the gypsy moth benefit from weakened, thirsty trees: The beetles need heat and drought to develop perfectly. They find ideal conditions in the dried-out wood of forest trees. The insects attack, among other things, the sensitive bark and cause lasting damage to the tree. Not a few trees die as a result and have to be felled.
How Can We as Consumers Protect the Forest?
The alarming results of the Forest Report should not discourage us but awaken us: A signal for us to act. And we are capable of acting! Through our excessive consumption, we have caused global warming and indirectly the death of trees. Similarly, we can now help the sick forests through our consumption. How can we achieve this?
Forest Protection Through a Sustainable Lifestyle
Heatwaves and prolonged drought weaken our trees significantly, making them susceptible to diseases and causing them to die. The human-made climate crisis causes these heatwaves and droughts. If we curb global warming, we also prevent massive forest dieback. We can no longer stop climate change. The goal is to limit global warming to below 1.5 °C. This would spare our forests and allow the trees to regenerate. Each of us can contribute to this in everyday life.
Sustainable Consumption of Paper Products
We directly protect the forests when we, as consumers, demand fewer wood products. Because the fewer trees are felled, the better for forest health: A multi-layered mixed forest is particularly stable: Old trees protect young trees. Mixed tree species withstand storms, fires, and insect infestations better than monocultures.
One-fifth of the trees are felled only for paper production, and we Germans consume a lot of paper. How can we consume paper and cardboard more responsibly?
Buy Certified Paper Products
The majority of commercial forests in Germany are now certified, almost all with the PEFC certificate. Other certificates include FSC and Naturland. Certified forestry operations manage sustainably. This means that wood from these forests is produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The balance of the forest ecosystem is maintained: No more trees may be felled than can regrow.
You support this system by buying only certified paper.
Buy Recycled Paper and Save Resources
Recycling is always better than new production. The good news is: Paper and cardboard are easy to recycle. The individual wood fibers can be processed into paper up to seven times. The German paper industry has long adapted to recycling: Today, almost every paper product is available from recycled paper. Recycled paper is much more resource-efficient than paper from fresh pulp: Production requires 70 percent less water and 60 percent less energy.
So, next time you shop, look for recycled alternatives for toilet paper and notebooks.
Buy Paper from Mono-Packaging
For paper fibers to be recycled, they must be pure. This means free from foreign substances or contamination. Proper waste separation is crucial for successful recycling: Remove other composite materials like plastic and aluminum from the clean packaging. Only then can the pure paper of the packaging go into the blue bin. Only then can it become recycled paper. Some consumers find it too tedious to separate composite packaging. They should buy mono-packaging. These consist solely of paper.
Use Paper Products for Other Purposes
Ever heard of upcycling? Unlike recycling, here a product is not returned to the product cycle.
Instead, you simply use the item differently once it has served its original purpose. A well-known example is the cardboard box: Originally a packaging for heavy items -- now your cat's favorite hiding spot.
You already have the raw materials at home and don't need to buy new ones. There is no more waste! Be creative:
- Turn cardboard tubes into beautiful pen holders or rattles for the baby
- Single-sided printed paper can be torn into many shopping lists
- Even decorative bowls can be made from recycled paper
About betubed
Betubed offers sustainable solutions in the field of creative round packaging made from recycled paper. If you are interested in the topic of recycling and sustainable paper production, feel free to email us at info@betubed.de or send us a message via the contact form. Of course, you can also call us at: +49 40 506 93 303. Our finished paper tubes can be found in the "be ready" Shop.