Why should forests be managed at all?

Wood is a great, natural raw material and has been used by people for thousands of years. Other raw materials with a much more negative environmental impact can be replaced, for example in the construction industry. In addition, managed forests store more CO2 than disused forests. One reason for this is that younger trees absorb more CO2 than older ones, simply because they grow faster. Secondly, the carbon remains stored in long-lasting wood products for several decades, in addition to the living trees on the forest area. This means that sustainable forest management makes more sense for the climate than decommissioning. But even in terms of nature conservation, forest management is often very important. Oak, for example, is of particular importance for biodiversity compared to other tree species. It is home to a variety of (rare) insects, which in turn provide food for many species of birds and mammals. In many areas of Germany, beech would naturally displace oak from mixed forests. This is due to the fact that the beech provides a lot of shade and grows faster than the oak. In the long term, the proportion of oaks would fall massively and the dependent species would also decline. Forestry ensures that the oaks can survive in the long term.