NABU calls for protection of deadwood and climate‑resilient forests in Germany

The German nature‑conservation group NABU filed an urgent injunction at the Magdeburg Administrative Court to halt the removal of deadwood from the Harz National Park after the 2022 Brocken fire. NABU argued that deadwood is essential for biodiversity, providing habitat for a quarter of forest species and storing carbon, and that its role as a fire accelerator is not scientifically proven. A settlement was reached with the park administration in December 2022.

A 2025 forest‑condition survey presented by NABU Thüringen shows German forests still suffering from drought and heat stress, with many older trees damaged. The organization demands stronger protection of old stands, a shift to natural, mixed forests that are climate‑resilient, and an end to timber‑first management practices, noting that even state actors sometimes violate conservation measures.