The German Federal and States Governments on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 made €800 million ($880 million) available for the conservation of woodland and reforestation, Agriculture Minister, Julia Kloeckner, said.
Speaking to regional public broadcaster SW2 ahead of a government woodland summit, Kloeckner said the money would be distributed on the basis of climate protection criteria.
“Our grandchildren will feel the loss if we do not reforest today,’’ Kloeckner said.
She called for reforestation to compensate for what had been lost to forest fires, storms, drought and infestation by borer beetles.
Kloeckner said a great deal of damaged wood still had to be removed from the affected forests.
The Defence Minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, however, said the military was ready to assist, based on the ongoing efforts by the German Government on re-forestations.
Meanwhile, the discussion would continue during the course of the summit on how funds would be distributed, how to store the wood when prices changes and how wood should be used in construction.
