Özdemir calls for forest restructuring: “We urgently need a healthy mixed forest”

Large parts of Germany are experiencing severe drought as a result of climate change. In view of the development, Environment Minister Özdemir called for a rapid restructuring of agriculture and forestry.

In light of the severe drought, Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir has called for a faster and more effective fight against climate change. “We, our animals and the environment are suffering more and more from the consequences of the climate crisis,” Özdemir told the Rheinische Post newspaper.

According to calculations by the German Weather Service (DWD), the temperature in Germany should be one degree warmer in the coming years than in the past three decades.

Jungle – Our “Air Conditioning System”

“Extreme weather combined with drought, heavy rain or storms puts stress on our ecosystems and endangers the crops of our farmers.” In addition, there will be wildfires that will “destroy valuable, renewable raw materials, on which we depend more than ever,” the green politician said.

“There is only one way out: we have to fight the climate crisis and at the same time prepare for its consequences.” That’s why Germany is investing so much to transform forests and agriculture in a sustainable way. “We urgently need healthy mixed forests,” Özdemir said. “Because it’s our natural air conditioner and it doesn’t burn as easily as planting a spruce or pine monochrome.”

70 percent of the forest area in Brandenburg is monoculture

Forests on sandy soils, such as in Brandenburg, are particularly vulnerable to fires. The federal state again ranked first in comparing wildfire statistics in 2021 with 168 fires covering an area of ​​42 hectares. According to the Ministry of Forestry in Potsdam, pines grow in about 70 percent of the forest area – more than anywhere else in Germany.

According to Özdemir, Germany is investing heavily in sustainable conversion of forests and agriculture. The government helps farmers operate in a more environmentally friendly manner. In addition to the production of organic food, it is about companies that operate “with more flexibility and with less use of resources.” “It also means that animal owners will be able to better keep fewer animals in the future,” Özdemir said. He stressed that it is clear that “we have to secure our food supply.”