If a tree falls in a forest

The forest is sick. Seriously sick. Only 13.4 percent of trees in Luxembourg were healthy in 2019, according to Statec. The rest are either slightly or severely damaged. The number becomes even more dramatic when compared to the 31.8 percent of healthy trees the previous year.

In Luxembourg, children are practically born with a love of greenery – or at least taught it in school. For many, the weekend walk is only imaginable in the forest. During guided tours, people feel a deep connection with nature, as forester Serge Hermes reports. About half of the woods in Luxembourg belongs to private owners, who, in addition to their very special interest in its preservation, also have a considerable set of rules to abide by. They receive financial support for projects that promote sustainable development of the forest. Even the Nature Conservation Act is largely recognized by the institutions as going in the right direction, although criticism is not absent. The problem is well known, political will seems to exist, so where is the problem? The short answer is: it's too warm and too dry. But to really understand the difficulties, more points need to be considered.