FAQ
WeReForest, a programme of DLG e. V. (German Agricultural Society), is committed to reforestation. In view of the damage to German forests in recent years – around 600,000 hectares need to be replanted. WeReforest supports forest owners in tackling this generational task and finances sustainable reforestation projects. The aim is to create climate-stable, species-rich and high-growth mixed stands that not only protect the environment but also strengthen the local economy and contribute to the sustainable use of wood as a raw material.
WeReforest promotes the creation of climate-stable commercial forests because they are a particularly effective means of long-term carbon storage. In sustainably managed, resilient mixed forests that are appropriate to the location, the carbon bound in the wood is stored over the long term and the wood is later used as a resource or building material, thereby avoiding the release of CO₂, as occurs with deadwood. In addition, commercial forests help to secure jobs, particularly in rural areas, and provide a sustainable basis for future-oriented forestry. Commercial forests therefore make an effective contribution to climate protection while also offering ecological and social advantages.
Private and municipal forest owners, as well as landowners, can apply with viable concepts for their stable future forest. Forest owners whose property does not meet the minimum size (0.5 ha) can join forces with forest owners of neighbouring forest areas and submit a joint application, provided that the forest areas are contiguous and meet the requirements.
Reforestation is a long-term investment, and depending on the tree species, little or no income can be expected in the first few decades. For many forest owners, this task represents a financial challenge that they cannot overcome alone. WeReforest supports reforestation to create forests that provide a wide range of benefits, including recreation, water conservation, erosion control and, in particular, climate protection. Sustainably managed, climate-resilient commercial forests make a significant contribution to climate protection by capturing CO₂ over the long term and at the same time providing sustainably produced wood as a renewable raw material. Through our support, we enable the development of forests that provide ecological, social and economic benefits, making a valuable contribution to current and future generations.
The project contract ensures a uniform basis for both parties: Forest owners and WeReforest. All details are contractually specified. You will find a sample contract on our website.
The selection and prioritisation of applications is the responsibility of the WeReforest Expert Commission, which consists of at least five respected experts in the fields of economics, forestry and environmental protection. Its members include at least one operations manager from a private forest, one operations manager from a corporate forest and one representative from the scientific community. This year's expert commission can be found here. Support is given to measures that promise ecological, qualitative or temporal advantages compared to gradual reforestation or natural forest development.
After three cost estimates, the land registry extract and the signed project contract have been received, WeReforest selects one of the three service providers and places the order for planting. Forest owners do not need to take any further action in this process. If you wish, however, you can be included in the meeting for scheduling the planting.
The forest owners undertake to implement the measures professionally or to have them carried out by qualified third parties. After the implementation, an on-site inspection is carried out by WeReforest or its representatives.
The planted forests are commercial forests. The forest owners are contractually obliged to manage the forest in accordance with the WeReforest project objectives for a minimum of 20 years. The project duration was chosen because after 20 years it can be assumed that not only has the cultivated forest been secured, but that the forest has also thrived to such an extent that a change in the management objective makes little sense.
We certainly hope that all the projects go smoothly and that the plants grow as planned. A certain amount of plant loss is always possible. Should a critical proportion of the plants fail to grow or unpredictable events such as extreme weather conditions lead to failures, please feel free to contact us. We'll find a solution together. WeReForest covers the costs of non-culpable failures and is happy to organise the necessary improvements to ensure the long-term success of the project.
The first projects were approved after the first meeting of the WeReforest Expert Commission on 30 August 2023. The implementation and planting of the first projects have already taken place in spring 2024 and further projects were planted in autumn 2024. You will find an overview of our previous projects and plantings here.
Climate change and its accompanying phenomena (drought, storms and pest infestation) are having a massive impact on stocks. Common tree species such as spruce, beech and oak are showing increasing damage. The solution lies in a long-term restructuring of forests towards climate-adapted and diverse, multi-layered mixed forests that can be used sustainably at the same time. Tree species such as oak, sweet chestnut or Douglas fir, which are better adapted to warm and/or dry conditions, are becoming increasingly important.
This question can only be answered roughly, as it can vary greatly depending on the stand and on factors such as growth, nutrient and water balance, and soil conditions. However, the following can generally be said: The average timber stock in German forests is around 335 m³ per hectare. German forests capture around 108 tonnes of carbon per hectare of living trees, which is equivalent to capturing around 396 tonnes of CO₂. Every year, German forests remove an average of 52 million tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere. An important keyword here is cascading utilisation. Cascading utilisation means that wood should primarily be used as a material and only secondarily for energy generation, i.e. for combustion. This is done, for example, by using the wood in long-lasting products (e.g. in timber construction). As a result, the climate-damaging CO2 is captured in the long term. The CO2 that has been captured will only be released again when the wood used there is no longer needed and is burned (or rots).
But even the direct and short-term use of the renewable raw material wood, e.g. for heating, does not in itself have a damaging effect on the climate. This is because it can often save fossil fuels and resources and only releases the CO2 that was previously captured in the wood.
(Source: Fourth National Forest Inventory)
Carbon (C) is a chemical element and a basic building block of life. It occurs in many compounds such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) or organic matter and is an essential component of trees and plants. During photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air, break it down and store the carbon long-term in their wood, while releasing oxygen. CO₂ is a chemical compound made up of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. It is a greenhouse gas that contributes to the warming of the earth's atmosphere. As forests grow, carbon is captured and the CO₂ content in the atmosphere is reduced – a key contribution to climate protection.
Yes, but: The objective of all our projects is to have stable, vital and species-rich forests, which also has a direct positive effect on the CO2 issue. However, the project structure does not allow for precise figures to be provided in individual cases, and this gives the project supporters a false impression: CO2 capture is just one of the many positive benefits of our climate forests, and should not be viewed independently. The positive effects for drinking water, soil protection and endangered biodiversity are at least just as important. Similarly, the afforestation efforts will only start to bind CO2 at a later date, as the young seedlings and saplings have not yet grown enough to do so. If the question had been "Can I improve my personal ecological footprint", the answer would be an unreserved YES!
Of course, companies can integrate WeReforest and its projects into their sustainability strategy, as by supporting WeReforest they can make an effective contribution to protecting the climate, soil, water and biodiversity. Instead of communicating the results in CO2 equivalents, we focus on the number of trees planted, which ensures the verifiability and traceability of the plantings. We appreciate your interest and invite you to get in touch using our contact form, whereupon we will be happy to get in touch with you.
Yes. For donations of less than €300, donors do not need a donation receipt or proof of donation for their tax return. Simple proof (such as a bank statement) is sufficient. That is why you will automatically receive a donation receipt only if the donation total reaches €300 or more, or if you request one from us. Please use the green button on our donation page to receive a receipt.
