Surgery on the Green Heart

It is myth and economic factor, tourist magnet and cultural capital – the Thuringian Forest. No other German state has such a high density of trees as the “green heart of Germany.” But the forest has become caught between the millstones of conflicting interests. The timber industry, with its massive sawmills, demands thin trunks – with drastic consequences for the landscape and its recreational value. For private forest owners, the forest is simply an economic asset – not a romantic spot for tourists. It battles too much wildlife, the bark beetle, and acidic soil. All of this is taking its toll on the forest. The state is cutting funding and subsidies. It is scaling back on highly qualified forestry experts and staff who maintain trails, cabins, and signposts. And all this despite the forest’s dismal state of health, according to the forest damage report.

Who is looking after the future of the forest, so vital to Thuringia? Who safeguards the Thuringian Forest Act, which mandates a balance between timber use, landscape conservation, and tourism? Who has a vision for what the forest should look like in 100 years? Anna Schmidt and Dirk Schneider report from the depths of the Thuringian Forest, accompanying hiking enthusiasts, hunters, forest owners, and forestry office directors, asking citizens, officials, and politicians about the future of the “green heart.”