Hessian State Forest Reports 5 Percent Increase in Timber Harvesting for 2025

Timber harvesting in the Hessian state forest rose by approximately 5 percent in 2025, with HessenForst logging a total of around 1.49 million cubic meters of harvested timber, the Kassel-based organization said in response to a media inquiry. The increase was driven by two converging factors: the lifting of a temporary felling moratorium on certain beech stands and the delayed emergence of drought damage, particularly from the hot and dry year of 2022. The figures represent a modest but notable recovery in harvesting activity after years of constrained operations in hardwood areas. Wood from Hessian forests serves a range of end uses, including house construction, furniture manufacturing, and firewood. 1.49 (million cubic meters) — total timber harvested in Hessian state forest in 2025

Hardwood harvest surges as beech moratorium ends The most striking shift in the 2025 data was a sharp divergence between hardwood and softwood harvesting volumes. Hardwood harvesting grew by 28 percent to 570,000 cubic meters, while softwood harvesting fell by approximately 6 percent to around 921,000 cubic meters. HessenForst attributed the hardwood surge directly to the expiry of a moratorium that had been in place since 2020 on felling in certain beech stands. That moratorium had been introduced while HessenForst, working together with the Northwest German Forest Research Institute, developed new climate-adapted management concepts for beech forests. The moratorium was lifted in 2024, after which the enterprise began catching up on scheduled maintenance, thinning, and the removal of damaged and dying trees. A HessenForst spokesperson described the work as simultaneously advancing the conversion of these stands toward climate-stable mixed forests.

„Since then, in these stands we have been catching up both on the scheduled maintenance and thinning as well as the harvesting of damaged and dying trees, while at the same time advancing the forest conversion toward climate-stable mixed forests.” — HessenForst spokesperson via N-tv

Hardwood: 570, Softwood: 921

Drought damage from 2022 now felling beech trees years later Beyond the moratorium effect, HessenForst pointed to the delayed impact of past drought years as a second driver of increased hardwood harvesting. Beech trees in particular are known to react to drought stress with a lag, meaning that damage inflicted during hot and dry periods does not always manifest immediately. The spokesperson noted that harm caused by conditions in 2022, for example, was only now becoming visible in individual trees or entire stands. Once such damage becomes apparent, the affected trees must be removed both for traffic safety reasons and to preserve the structural stability of surrounding stands. This dynamic is expected to continue influencing harvesting volumes in coming years as further delayed damage becomes detectable.

„Damage from very dry and hot periods - for example in 2022 - often only becomes visible in individual trees or stands years later. These trees then have to be removed for reasons of traffic safety and to stabilize the stands.” — HessenForst spokesperson via Die Welt

Hessian forests have faced sustained stress from a series of drought and heat years in the late 2010s and early 2020s, with damage to tree stocks remaining a persistent concern. According to web search results, a November 2025 report noted that Hesse's forests continued to show high levels of damage, with only minimal recovery over the preceding two years. The beech moratorium introduced in 2020 reflected a broader shift in German state forestry toward climate-adapted management, pausing commercial felling while new silvicultural concepts were developed. HessenForst manages the Hessian state forest as a Landesbetrieb, a form of state-owned enterprise operating under Hessian budget law.

Winter harvest up 6 percent despite snow and waterlogged ground The autumn and winter harvesting season from October 2025 through February 2026 also showed an upward trend, with timber volumes rising by about 6 percent compared to the same period a year earlier to reach 725,000 cubic meters. Heavy snowfall and persistent wetness during the winter months created access difficulties in some stands, forcing HessenForst to temporarily adjust its operations to prevent soil damage. The enterprise said it managed to maintain reliable wood supply despite these weather-related disruptions by adapting its harvesting schedule. HessenForst described its broader strategy as one of targeted harvesting closely integrated with forest conversion goals. In beech stands, individual trees are being selectively removed to open the canopy and allow light to reach more drought-resistant species such as oak and maple. The enterprise framed this approach as building forests that are better equipped to withstand the long-term consequences of climate change. 725 (thousand cubic meters) — timber harvested October 2025 to February 2026