Extreme heat and drought damage Bavaria’s trees

Extreme heat and drought have severely damaged many trees in Bavarian forests and cities this summer, causing them to shed their leaves weeks early, BR reported. The trees are also growing more slowly, and some are expected to die.

Although autumn has not yet begun, many trees already have brown leaves and are shedding them. Hubert Krenzler, head of the Ingolstadt Forestry Office, estimates they are six to eight weeks ahead of schedule.

Ingolstadt has about 1,600 hectares of forest, including the Gerolfinger Eichenwald, a valuable oak forest west of the city. Trees with brown foliage stand out along the forest edge among greener trees that appear to be coping better with the heat.

Even oak trees are struggling

The extent of the damage among oak trees is worrying foresters. Oak is generally considered a promising tree under climate change because it should cope relatively well with drought, Krenzler said.

For years, Krenzler and his colleagues have been preparing forests for climate change by creating stands with a wide variety of tree species. This diversity means that if some species die because of drought, fungi or pests, others may survive.

Birch trees have been particularly badly affected. The species prefers damp locations and needs a great deal of water. In early September, some birches shown by Krenzler had barely any leaves left.

Summer described as a once in a century event

The full extent of the damage will become clear over the next few years. Krenzler hopes the oaks will survive the extreme drought, but is less optimistic about the most severely affected birches.

The Bavarian State Institute for Forestry and Forest Management, a forestry research institute in Freising, has also not yet reached a final assessment. Data collection for the annual forest condition report is still under way.

Stephan Raspe of the institute described summer 2026 as a “once in a century event”, comparable in his view only with the extreme year of 2003. He said the particularly early onset of the drought was striking. It was already very dry in mid June, according to data from the institute’s forest drought monitor. The drought began affecting Upper and Lower Franconia in mid June before spreading further south. Leaves changing colour as early as July was extremely early, Raspe said.

Slower growth affects forestry businesses

In addition to early leaf loss, the dry summers have caused a “massive drop in growth”. Trees are growing much more slowly than in normal years, creating problems for woodland owners and large forestry operations. Raspe expects some trees to die as a result of this summer’s conditions, although the damage cannot be assessed conclusively for several years.

City trees have also been affected. In Ingolstadt, gardening department staff water many trees, but they have reached their limits this summer. Urban trees face additional pressures, said Bernward Wilhelmi, head of the city’s gardening department.

Highly compacted soil is a major problem because it makes it difficult for water to reach the roots. Foot traffic alone can compact the ground, while cars are often parked too close to trees. Salt used on roads in winter can also damage trees growing nearby.

Planting trees in cities is costly

Planting new trees in cities is often difficult and expensive. The cost can range from 1,500 euros to as much as 100,000 euros per tree. In Ingolstadt, planting a plane tree in front of the town hall cost about 20,000 euros because the location was paved.

Residents of cities such as Munich and Ingolstadt may want more trees for climate protection and shade, but suitable space is often lacking. Utility lines beneath the ground can also make planting impossible or highly complicated.