Research areas
Forest Ecology and Wildlife Ecology
German forests do not only produce renewable and natural wood resources, they are also habitats for plants and animals. Other very important services are regulation of water levels and the provision of drinking water.
Forest Inventory and Forest Monitoring
German forests grow on 11 million hectares of land and account for a total wood volume of 3.4 billion cubic metres. They sequester 4.7 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere annually. However, air pollution and climate change may threaten the forests and their multiple services. Forest inventory and monitoring shall observe dynamics of impacts and the forest response and provide information for target-oriented action.
Forest Data Centre
Our research and recording activities in the areas of forest and wildlife ecology, forest inventory and forest monitoring lead to numerous data sets that have to be systematically stored, linked and analysed. We are developing a universal data administration and information system for forest-related data in Germany, including external data sources.