According to the Federal Government's Forest Condition Report, the German forest in 2020 is 'sicker than ever'?, with only 21% of trees having intact crowns. Among beech trees, the proportion is just 11%. Increasing crown defoliation is not a disease in itself, but an expression of stress.
Under unfavourable external factors, this can lead to damage to entire stands, even to the complete death of the trees. The dieback rate, the second relevant indicator, has also increased compared to the previous year; older stands over 60 years of age are particularly affected.
Since the beginning of the forest condition survey in 1984, the condition of the forest has continued to deteriorate and a change is urgently needed.