Water scarcity for Fürther trees: Requiring 200 to 250 litres of water each week
Fürth's Urban Trees Struggle in Heatwaves and Drought, Experts Offer Solutions
The city of Fürth, Germany, is home to approximately 30,000 trees, many of which are currently suffering from the ongoing heatwaves and drought. To address this issue, the Green Space Office is opting for more robust tree species like the Chinese pear and ironwood trees, while also considering native species such as English oak, small-leaved lime, field maple, and European ash.
Experts recommend that young city trees require regular deep watering during dry spells. Slow, deep watering near the root zone encourages deep root growth, and watering early morning or late evening helps reduce evaporation. Soaker hoses or drip irrigation are ideal methods for efficient water distribution. Mulching around the tree base also helps retain soil moisture.
Larger tree pits with uncompacted soil improve water infiltration and root development. Incorporating structural soil or engineered soil cells under paved surfaces can increase the volume of soil available to roots, promoting better drought resistance.
Tree care specialist Detlef Post reported that many young trees are not surviving without intensive, regular watering. Nature conservationists warn that without more intensive protective strategies and adaptation measures, the condition of the city trees could further deteriorate.
To support protective measures and future urban planning, the citizen science project "My Tree" allows citizens to record city tree information, location, species, condition, and surroundings, as well as any fungi or animals living on them. All city trees in Fürth are checked at least once a year, with dead or dangerous trees being removed and replacements planted in the fall.
The Bavarian Nature Conservation Association (BN) calls for particular care to be taken of old trees and for their location conditions to be significantly improved. The Adenauer Anlage is an exception, where older trees benefit from a flat irrigation system. However, older trees in Fürth are having difficulty receiving sufficient water through their extensive root systems.
The BN recommends at least 16 cubic meters of rootable space for newly or replacement-planted street trees to survive long-term without artificial irrigation. A watering bag holds approximately 100 liters of water, which is slowly released to the roots over time, and can be a helpful tool for watering young trees.
For site-specific recommendations, local municipal guidelines or arboricultural experts in Fürth should be consulted. By adopting these practices, we can help mitigate heat and drought stress for young urban trees in Fürth or similar Central European cities.
- In environmental science, the implementation of 'training' for young city trees in dry spells through regular deep watering and the use of efficient water distribution methods like soaker hoses or drip irrigation, can help them develop deep root growth and resist drought.
- The Bavarian Nature Conservation Association ('BN') suggests that newly or replacement-planted 'street trees' in Fürth require at least 16 cubic meters of 'rootable space' to survive long-term without artificial irrigation, and watering bags could be a helpful tool for watering young trees.
- To support 'environmental-science' initiatives such as identifying the condition and location of urban trees, and to make informed decisions about tree species and protective strategies, the citizen science project "My Tree" allows citizens to record tree information, promoting a collaborative approach to preserving the city's tree population in the face of climate-change challenges.
