OP
OP
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Thanks @matticus.
You're right it is the sickly spruces, it is a quite tragic and moving sight as you ride through this landscape, along with the unnaturally low water levels in the reservoirs.
It is however, a complex picture as always, Spruce is native to these hills at elevations above 800m, but it's value in the timber industry has led to its cultivation at much lower levels in much denser plantations. Ultimately these densely packed plantations are more susceptible to damage with the warmer drier weather and the increase propensity to stronger, more frequent storms. The trees are then much more susceptible to the bark beetle, which thrives in these conditions.
Ultimately though, whilst in the short term it looks horrific, it may lead to a more radical rethink about how these areas are managed and maybe see a return to more native vegetation cover in the longer term?
You're right it is the sickly spruces, it is a quite tragic and moving sight as you ride through this landscape, along with the unnaturally low water levels in the reservoirs.
It is however, a complex picture as always, Spruce is native to these hills at elevations above 800m, but it's value in the timber industry has led to its cultivation at much lower levels in much denser plantations. Ultimately these densely packed plantations are more susceptible to damage with the warmer drier weather and the increase propensity to stronger, more frequent storms. The trees are then much more susceptible to the bark beetle, which thrives in these conditions.
Ultimately though, whilst in the short term it looks horrific, it may lead to a more radical rethink about how these areas are managed and maybe see a return to more native vegetation cover in the longer term?
