Nonnenheide

Forests play a central role in climate mitigation by storing carbon in living tree biomass. In the Nonnenheide forest area, current carbon storage is largely determined by pine-dominated stands, which originate from historical afforestation and exhibit limited structural and species diversity. Under conventional, rotation-based forest management, such stand structures would typically be managed with regular utilization cycles. Combined with increasing climate-related stress factors, this would result in a progressive decline of forest carbon stocks over time in the reference scenario. Through improved forest management (IFM), the project deliberately changes this development path. By prioritizing natural regeneration, extending biomass retention, and gradually increasing tree species diversity, existing carbon stocks are stabilized and long-term carbon losses are significantly reduced compared to the baseline. As a result, the forest is strengthened as a reliable long-term carbon sink, safeguarding existing carbon stocks and supporting the generation of high-quality carbon credits while improving resilience to drought, pests, and extreme weather events.