The professorship introduces itself

The Chair of Silviculture is one of the central professorships in the field of forest science with a clear focus on application. Using the opportunities offered by our training forest and the experimental and teaching facility in Hetzdorf, this feature is equally important for teaching and research. The chair is closely networked with other professorships in the subject area and also has links to other degree courses at the university. In this respect, the Chair of Silviculture has an important, connecting and interdisciplinary function within the department as well as for the external impact of the subject area.

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Important topics at a glance

Main research areas

The silvicultural research of our professorship deals with the most diverse aspects of forest design. Basic (ecological) research, research for purposeful forest management and renaturation research are all carried out.

Hetzdorf test and teaching object

The experimental and teaching facility of the Chair of Silviculture is located on the south-western edge of the Tharandt Forest. Silvicultural experiments and demonstration objects for research and teaching are carried out and supervised here, focusing on forest plant cultivation, seed treatment and forest renewal.

Training forest in the Tharandt district

The Tharandt Forest area was first designated as a training forest in 1848. The training forest in its current size and location is based on the agreement between the State Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of the Free State of Saxony and TU Dresden dated 10.01.1996.

History of the Chair

The Chair of Silviculture at the Department of Forest Sciences at TU Dresden is headed by Prof. Thom. The Chair is known for its basic and practice-oriented research and teaching. Its origins date back to 1816, when Heinrich Cotta founded the Tharandt Forestry Institute and established the world's first chair for silviculture. The core research areas of today's Chair include (i) regeneration ecology and forest functions, (ii) adaptation strategies to climate change and increasing disturbances, and (iii) climate protection through forests. A variety of methods are used, in particular empirical field research and simulation modeling. The Chair of Silviculture is active at both national and international level. Through close cooperation with other departments at TU Dresden, the Chair of Silviculture plays a bridging role and contributes to the interdisciplinary linking of different research areas.