Reforestation after an experimental wildfire

responsible: Stadtforst Goslar, Marcel Möller

How the forest recovers after the fire

After a fire, every forest site faces the same question: what happens next? Should the site be left to recover naturally, or can active reforestation help the forest get back on its feet more quickly? Answers are particularly scarce for mining-affected low mountain regions such as the Harz, where there is as yet little experience with post-fire reforestation.
The Goslar Municipal Forest is investigating this question directly at the experimental burn site. After the fire has been extinguished, we will fence the subplots and leave one half to natural regeneration, while the other half will be actively planted with a mixed deciduous forest. Over two years, we will monitor how well planted young trees and naturally regenerating vegetation develop under the respective fire and fire-suppression conditions.
We are particularly interested in whether the four different fire-suppression strategies affect reforestation success, and how microclimatic extremes and altered soil conditions influence tree establishment and vitality. Based on the results, we will develop practical guidelines for post-wildfire reforestation that also take the health and safety of forestry workers into account.

Contact:
Marcel Möller
Operations manager
Stadtforst Goslar

05321 - 704 760
marcel.moeller@goslar.de