The German forest is facing a critical transformation due to climate change. We are experimenting with approaches from sustainable forestry on our own 3-hectare woodland in Brandenburg to find out what the resilient forest of the future might look like. A forest that can be a CO2sink, a biodiversity store, a food source, and an inspiring meeting place at the same time.
First Better Earth Forest Day - From the office to nature
At the end of October, the time had come. The Better Earth team was in the Better Earth Forest for a day. There was a lot to do.
First, we got an overview with a forester and forest advisor. Individual sections in the forest differed clearly: from commercial forest with partly diseased pines to lively areas with deciduous trees such as oaks and maples.
Secondly, we dedicated ourselves to the main task for our first forest day: we cleared the forest floor of trash such as packaging and construction debris. It was astonishing what we found in the process. Finally, we were able to rid the forest of most garbage.
What could our forest look like in the future?
We want to experiment, learn, and create an ecologically valuable forest that can be a source of food and a meeting place. Profitability is not our main concern. Our initial thoughts lead us in three directions: we convert one part to a classic, eligible conversion project, considering ecological added value and future timber yield at the same time. Another area we are considering converting with a focus on agroforestry and food production. And a last part we would transform to an area with maximum ecological contribution without considering future economic use. Currently, we are still brainstorming. Next year, we plan to get started. How would you design our area? Feel free to share your ideas with us. We look forward to the exchange!