Dietrich Henke is Forester of the Year 2022
Henke ventured a much-noticed new start after a devastating forest fire damaged around 135 hectares of his forest in 2018. It was clear to him that near-natural forest conversion and small-scale structured stands offer better answers to climate stress, pest and fire calamities than monotonous stocking with pines. According to his credo "Wood is good for the forest, alive or dead", he left charred trunks standing. They provided shade, slowed down the wind, kept humus and moisture in the area and contained land grass. Henke enriched the burnt soil with leaves, sowed acorns, and planted more tree species in other areas. In this way, he helped to create an exciting research setting and enabled eight institutions to conduct research for the forest of tomorrow on the former Treuenbrietzen municipal forest areas. Quaking poplars, birches and willows quickly took root of their own accord, and the pioneer greenery grew imposingly high. Green is the hope even after the second fire in June 2022. Only a few weeks later, the first poplars tentatively sprouted between charred stumps. Wood is good for the forest, alive or dead. Thank you, Dietrich Henke, for your foresight.
Photo (© Jeanette Blumröder)