Rhenser Stadtwald: Forester presents sustainable forestry plan!

Rhenser Stadtwald: Forester presents sustainable forestry plan!

The Rhenser Stadtwald, under the direction of the new forester Ann-Kathrin Frings, shows a positive operating result of 12,701 euros for 2025. This gratifying news was recently presented during a meeting of the city council by Mayor Jörg Schüller (CDU), who officially presented Frings. The forestry plan for the coming year was also discussed in the city council and lies the course for the sustainable management of the city forest.

According to the requirements of the State Forest Act North Rhine-Westphalia (LFOG-NW), which has existed since April 24, 1980, a municipal forest, which is over 100 hectares, must be managed according to an operating plan. The annual economic plan is a central element. This not only includes the wood strike, but also other operating measures such as the cultural justification and forest protection.

business plan and wood strike

for 2025 are planned for the new operating planning, which will apply from 2025 to 2034. The forestry plan will be based on the guidelines of the expired planning, whereby deviations are possible depending on unpredictable factors, such as personnel failures or shade events.

The average annual wood use in the city forest is around 1,415 harvest festival meters (EFM). In recent years, however, there has been a critical consideration, especially due to storm events and considerable bark beetle damage. Only 461 EFM were planned for 2024. For 2025, planned wood use of around 894 EFM is sought, with the focus on pine and robinia.

planting and maintaining the forests

The afforestation plays a central role in the strategy for 2025. The aim is to promote structural, natural deciduous mixed forests. In 2024, 3,754 new trees, including stems, red beech and chestnuts, were planted. The planning of 2,350 new leaf and softwood plantings is planned for the next year, whereby nature rejuvenation will be a priority.

The inventory is also not neglected. Nursing measures are planned to promote strong trunks on an area of ​​3.35 hectares. In addition, due to its social function, the city forest is also maintained as a local recreation area. This also includes measures for waste disposal, which were estimated in 2024 with 224 hours and are expected to be similar in 2025.

sustainable forestry and ecological awareness

The importance of the forests extends far beyond wood use. They are crucial for environmental protection, deliver resources and offer habitats for numerous animal and bird species. In view of a growing population and the associated demands on land, sustainable forestry is becoming increasingly important. Through careful planning and surveillance, the health of the forests should be preserved in accordance with human use without endangering the needs of future generations. Practices such as selective wood strike and reforestation are crucial to protect the forest ecosystems in the long term.

The Rhenser Stadtwald is PEFC certified, which ensures sustainable management. The wooden harvest takes place on their own, although external help is only used for calamity woodworking. This contributes to protecting the forest floors and the preservation of ecological balance. In addition, preventive measures against harmful insects such as bark beetles are planned to keep the forest healthy and minimize damage.

Overall, the Rhenser Stadtwald shows with its operating result and the planned measures that sustainable management is both economically and ecologically advantageous.