Cover crop cultivation for forestry (DeFrAn)

Climate change and the predicted increase in extreme weather events require the examination of alternative options for the reforestation of calamity areas. The future intensification of the open space climate, the frequently large surface areas of calamities and possible slope inclinations and exposures of the areas require a rethink of previous reforestation practices. In order to restore ecosystem services more quickly, the often preferred succession must be supported by silviculture. However, due to increasing heat and drought, sowing and planting on open spaces no longer always succeed reliably.

The DBU-funded project is therefore attempting to establish a new approach to reforestation in cooperation with Skyseed GmbH. The aim is to achieve synergy effects between the target tree species and herbs and shrubs, so-called cover crops. The use of cover crops, i.e. plants that primarily serve to promote other plants and not for commercial purposes, has so far proven to be particularly successful in agriculture.

The project will investigate whether cover crops selected according to forestry requirements can be used to quickly close the nutrient and water cycles, improve the microclimate on the soil surface, reduce surface evaporation, increase microbial activity and the organic content in the soil, prevent erosion and suppress highly competitive accompanying vegetation.

In addition, the influence of seed pelleting on germination behavior and seed predation and whether different sowing times and sowing densities of cover crops promote the survival and growth of seedlings will be investigated.

Another focus is to use the results to create a guideline for the use of cover crops in forestry and to make this and the results obtained available to the widest possible audience from science and practice.