Invitation to the evening lecture on 21.05.2025: Acid rain - a relic from the past or a current problem for our forests?

Where? Landesbibliothekszentrum, Otto-Mayer-Str. 9, 67346 Speyer

When? Wednesday, 21.05.2025 at 6 pm

Lecturer: Dr. Martin Greve, Forest Ecology and Forestry Research Institute Rhineland-Palatinate

As part of the public lecture series "A bouquet of flowers from agriculture, environmental and consumer protection", which we are organizing on the occasion of our 150th anniversary in cooperation with the Rhineland-Palatinate State Library Centre (Landesbibliothekszentrum), Greta Ott from Forest Ecology and Forestry Research Institute will give a lecture on “Acid rain - a relic from the past or a current problem for our forests?”.

About the lecture: In Rhineland-Palatinate, we naturally find nutrient-poor soils in large areas of the forest, which therefore have little protection against acid inputs. From the middle of the 19th century until the 1990s, forests were exposed to extremely high levels of acid pollution from air pollutants - commonly known as “acid rain”. Despite improvements in air pollution control, there is still pollution from the input of nitrogen and the acid loads stored in the soil.
The hot and dry weather extremes of recent years have been an additional stress test for the forest. All native tree species show significant damage due to heat, drought or pest infestation. Is there a connection between the acidification that has largely disappeared from public view and the forest damage that can be observed today? And what measures can help to stabilize the condition of our forests with regard to plant nutrients and acid input?

Please note that the lecture will be held in German.