Schalksmühle Planting Site Visit: Observations from the Field

A recent visit to the Schalksmühle planting site in Nordrhein-Westfalen provided valuable insights into the project's progress. The monitoring visit, conducted in May 2025, revealed a generally moderate survival rate across the planted area. Notably, maintenance has not yet been required, with site conditions observed to be adequate three years post-planting. However, observations indicate differential survival rates among species, with beech and oak trees showing a higher tendency towards mortality. Encouragingly, natural regeneration is occurring within the plot, and it has been decided to allow it to continue. Site conditions have been influenced by some extreme weather events, including strong winds and periods of drought.