The selection of suitable tree species is of enormous ecological and economical importance for forest rangers. Because of climate change, tree species that were previously well adapted to their habitat are reaching their limits. Cultivation under these new circumstances would take decades to yield adequate results. One solution can be seen in the calculation of so-called “climate envelopes”. Here, the climate claims of individual tree species are determined and then compared to current and future climate conditions. Large consensus can be seen e.g. between the climate envelope of the silver fir with the current climate envelope of Bavaria; however, this will change in the future, when parts of Bavaria will be too dry and warm. With the help of the climate envelope method, non-European tree species can also be tested on their suitability.
Christian Kölling (2007): Baumarten für die Zukunft
The question whether exotic tree species can be the solution for our forests has recently been debated once again in an article of the Welt newspaper. In 2019, the State Institute of Bavaria for Forestry and Silviculture (Bayerische Landesanstalt für Wald und Forstwirtschaft, LWF) had already dedicated a whole magazine to the suitability of non-native tree species.
Peter Spathelf in Welt Online 12.03.2021: Deutschland sucht den Superbaum
LWF-aktuell 123 (2019): Offene Türen für neue Baumarten
