
A short story from clearcutting to primeval
The following process refers to the radical change from a fallow to a natural forest. The time span here is at least a century, to a virgin forest even longer. The first piece of nature planned to be acquired in Collaboration with Earth refers to a transformation from a plantation or “forest” of non-native trees to a native forest as created by nature itself. Since this transformation already has better preconditions, it may only take a few decades.
Now let’s assume a less than ideal starting situation, which we find more and more, whether in the tropics or in Germany. Now imagine the following: You see a fallow, open depleted soil, caused for example by a clear cut, strong storms or a field. The sun shines on the bare soil, the microorganisms (bacteria, nematodes, mites, etc.), work at full speed and the hummus, the fertile soil, is broken down too quickly. In addition, erosion is a big problem. Unfortunately, we find this situation increasingly, not only in Germany, but worldwide. At the same time, nature is trying its best to shade the soil as quickly as possible and thus make the soil more viable again. The wind carries seeds of the pioneer trees, in Germany these are mainly the birch and the poplar, and these first let their tender roots grow into the earth. They then provide the basis for the slower-growing native trees, such as the beech and oak. In this way, step by step, a virgin forest can be created again.
What a sick forest looks like – plantations with trees like soldiers.
But even here you can find a small generation of native trees.
If the fallow is a former monoculture of non-native conifers, the natural revitalization of the area will include a few young trees from the former plantation. And they are allowed to be there, too, because their rapid growth provides rapid shading and thus an opportunity for the future forest. In the best case, the former plantation culture has not yet degraded too much hummus and the soil has not been completely destroyed despite the heavy forestry vehicles. Then the chances are good that a healthy forest can still be experienced in human lifetime. Even if there are statements about the fact that probably only an ice age could completely fix the compressed soil again.

And don’t our deciduous trees look fantastic in the fall? Another good reason to take care of them gently.