Forests and Forestry in Hesse Multipurpose Sustainable Forest Management - Commitment for Generations
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Hessian Ministry for Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Forests and Forestry in Hesse Multipurpose Sustainable Forest Management - Commitment for Generations FORESTS AND FORESTRY IN HESSE Multipurpose Sustainable Forest Management – Responsibility for Generations CONTENT PAGE NUMBERS Foreword 3 1 Forests and Forestry in Hesse 4 1.1 “Country of Forests” Hesse 4 1.2 Forest in Hesse 5 2 Forest Ownership 6 3 Hessian State Forest Act Basis for Sustainable Forest Management 7 and Nature Conservation in Hesse 4 State Forest Administration 7 4.1 Organization 7 4.2 Tasks 9 5 Forest Management – Commitment for Generations 10 5.1 Multipurpose, Sustainable Forest Management 10 5.2 Forests and Nature Conservation 13 5.3 Forests as Source for Raw Material 15 5.4 Forest Inventory and Planning 16 5.5 Forests and Recreation 16 5.6 Forest Pedagogic Activities 17 5.7 Forests and Wildlife 17 5.8 Forests and Carbondioxid Sequestration 18 5.9 Biological Diversity and Research 18 6 International Cooperation 19 Edition Notice 20 Foreword The State of Hesse is located in the heart of Germany. 42 percent of the land is covered by forests. Far more than half of the forest landscape is formed by broadleaved tree species. Hesse is Germany’s predominant „beech country“. 31 percent of the forest area in Hesse is covered by endemic beech (Fagus silvatica). The occurrence of this species in so large an area is unique in Europe. Therefore, it is a commitment and challenge for the State of Hesse to protect utilize and further develop these forests. The responsibility of Hesse for the ecosystem ‚beech forest’ resulted in establishing the National Park‚ Kellerwald-Edersee’ in 2004. Together with four other German protected beech forest areas, the national park was selected in 2011 as World Heritage Site of UNESCO. The establishment of these forests began more than 250 years ago, when the ideas of sustainability became the principle of forest management. These principles for action in forest management were formulated by the Hessian forester Georg Ludwig Hartig (1764 – 1837) who was most famous at his times. From then on, his ideas determined forest management and today, these principles are considered without constriction. Ecological, social and economic sustainability are equally important for us. German national and local Hessian forest inventory These forests – representing a commonly shared and data of the Hessian forest inventory prove that and economic value - are to be cared for, protected the standing timber volume in the Hessian forests is and developed sustainably in order to ensure that continuously growing. The annual timber increment in their multiple functions are fulfilled in parallel at the Hessian forests is 9 million cbm while annual utilization same time and on the entire area. For the benefit and amounts to 6 million cbm. Hence, increment exceeds welfare for present and future generations. clearly utilization. Forests have an extraordinary significance for the carbon balance of the earth. More than 60 million tons of carbon are stored in the Hessian state forests alone. Annually these forests sequester more than 2 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere. This corresponds to 5 percent of the total annual emissions in our state. Plant species and animals find valuable habitats in Mrs. Lucia Puttrich the diversely and rich structured forests which are Hessian State Minister for Environment, Energy, established and managed following the ‚close to Agriculture and Consumer Protection nature’ principles, rules and techniques. Measures for protection and development of the biological diversity are integrated into forest management. What would our society be like if there were not the Wiesbaden, November 2012 possibilities for recreation and leisure from the strain and requirements of every day work? Our forests are open to everyone and hence represent the bond between man and nature and offer recreation while walking or exercising other sports. 3 1 Forests in Hesse 1.1 ‘Country of Forests’ Hesse The State of Hesse is located in the heart of Germany and is one of the 16 states that form the Federal Republic of Germany. Hesse has an area of 21.100 km2 and 6,0 million inhabitants. 42 % of the State’s area is covered by forests. In comparison with the other German States, Hesse has the highest proportion of forests jointly with Rhineland-Palatine. More than 200 years ago, the idea of sustainable forest management was developed by the Hessian forester Georg Ludwig Hartig (1764 - 1837). Since then, the idea of sustainability determined forest management and the forests of today are the result of sustainable forest management, which spanned generations. Graphic I: Hesse Forest cover in Hesse green: State forests yellow: Corporation forests of towns and cities blue: Private forests Land use in Hesse Forestry: 42 % Agriculture: 41 % Settlements: 7 % Traffic: 7 % Forests in Hesse Forest area: 894.806 ha Table I: Land use and forest cover in Hesse 4 4 1.2 Forests in Hesse Forests are home for a great variety of fauna and More than half of the forests are formed by broad- flora. At the same time, they are sources for raw leaved tree species and beech (Fagus sylvatica) has a materials, including energy purposes, workplaces dominating role. and recreational space. barelandbareland oakoak 5% 2% beechbeech 3% 11% 13% 29% other broad-leaved species 25% other broad-leaved 12% species norwaynorway sprucespruce douglasdouglas fir fir scotsscots pinepine Diagram I: Tree species in the hessian forest europeaneuropean larch larch The proportion of forests in the Rhine-Main-Region is only 26 %. However, this region accommodates 3 million people, half of the State’s population. Proportions of more than 50 % of forests are to be found in the Hessian uplands, i.e. Northern Hessian Slate Mountains, Weser Hills or in the southern rural areas of Spessart or Odenwald. Typical Beech forest (Fagus sylvatica) Altitude: 90 m – 950 m Average Temperature: 5 -10 °C Average temperature during vegetation period: 12.5 -17 °C Precipatation: 600 - 1.300 mm Rock: mostly sand stone, quartz rock, slate Earth types: mostly brown earth types Table II: Ecological conditions for forests in Hesse 5 2 Forest ownership The State is the biggest forest owner with a proportion (almost all of these territorial entities own forest), and of 40 %. Communal forests, i.e. forest in the ownership 25 % of the forests are privately owned. of towns and villages have a proportion of 35 % State forest 342.526 Other state owned forest 13.836 356.362 40,0 % Forests of local authorities i.e. 314.450 314.450 35,0 % towns and cities Private forest 191.821 Mutually owned private forest 32.173 223.994 25,0 % Total forest area in Hesse 894.806 894.806 100,0 % Land area of Hesse 2.111.484 Percentage of forests 42,4 % In comparison Total land area of Germany 35.694.700 Total forest area of Germany 11.075.799 31,0 % Table III: Forest ownership and percentage in hectares (2008) The private forest ownership is multifaceted: 50 % of Private and communal forests are supported by public the privately owned forests (some 100.000 ha) are promotion programs in order to facilitate orderly owned by more than 60.000 individuals. The other management and investments for safeguarding half of the forests is owned by medium and large the multiple functions of the forests for society and scale private companies, mostly with own forest environment. management structures and personnel. Number of Average 390 Private owners size corporations managed by SFE² 14.000 80 ha 22 % (50.000 ha) 14% (32.000 ha) Private forests 27.000 2,7 ha managed by SFE² Self-managed 170 420 ha private forest (with own management) 31% (70.000 ha) 33 % (74.000 ha) Private forest with 20.000 2,5 ha occasional Total area 226.000 ha management by SFE Diagram II: Private Forest Ownership in Hesse 6 (²: SFE = State Forest Enterprise HESSEN FORST, see chapter 4) 6 3 Hessian State Forest Act o Forest road infrastructure adapted to Basis for Sustainable Forest landscape, forest stands and soil, o Measures against damage by game Management and Nature and development of a carrying Conservation in Hesse capacity which is adapted to the sites and regeneration. - Forest management plans (§ 9): Objectives and principles of forest policy and forest legislation are the basis for sustainability in State-, and communal owned forests have forest management. So, the forest cover has to be to be managed according to 10 years’ maintained and extended, forest functions have to management plans. be strengthened and secured and orderly forest - Reforestation (§ 10): management needs to be promoted and controlled. destroyed forest stands and openings have The legal basis is formed by: to be reforested immediately. - Federal Forest Act - Official permits (§§ 12, 13): - Hessian Forest Act and its subsequent Forest conversion and afforestation require regulations official permits. - Nature Conservation Act - Right to enter forests (§ 24): - State Planning Law Everybody has the right to enter the forest for leisure and recreation. There are only some - Administrative Procedures Act special areas which might be exempted. - Regulation on forest management Bicycles, wheelchairs, horse-drawn coaches promotion and horseback riding are allowed on all forest roads. Entering forest with motor Some important regulations from the Hessian State driven vehicles for leisure and recreation is Forest Act (HForstG) are: not allowed. - basic commitment for forest ownership (§ 6): Forest owners have to manage their forests according to the principles of forestry and landscape management in a sustainable, professional way and according to plan for both the benefit of the society and maintaining 4 State Forest Administration functions of protection, production and recreation. 4.1 Organization Characteristics of orderly forest management are in particular: As regards to the sovereign functions, the Hessian State Forest Administration is a three-tier organization.