In the Knights’ Hall at Achberg Castle in Bavaria, Prof. Ibisch spoke on the topic “Greener, moister, cooler: Nature in Germany is working hard — and we can support it in doing so” The lecture formed part of the GreenPulse festival, organised by elobau Stiftung, a partner of the study programme in Socio-Ecological Forest Management at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development. Together with Peter Aulmann, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board, Pierre Ibisch discussed the Bachelor’s degree programme supported by the foundation and ways of strengthening the performance of our landscapes.

Nature is not simply there; it consists of complex ecosystems that must continuously perform work in order to persist and remain adaptable. In doing so, they manage energy, information, water and matter. The result is ecological functions that are important not only for forests, fungi and animals, but also, of course, for humans. This is why we refer to ecosystem services or natural infrastructure. They are both an economic asset and a form of life insurance for us. Nature is not our service provider, but it works for us. The good news is that we can support it in doing so. What needs to be done?

Green vegetation, water and relative coolness form a central triangular relationship: where conditions are greener and cooler, there is even more precipitation. Land use accounts for almost one fifth of temperature differences—more than any other factor. Connected, near-natural forests, intact peatlands and floodplains function as natural air-conditioning systems within the landscape. To cope with climate-change-driven temperature increases and the associated pressures on people and the environment, such functional landscape units must be understood, protected and conserved systemically and as a whole. Genuine resilience of natural infrastructure can only be achieved through large-scale, interconnected protected areas and sustainable management approaches.

Agricultural land should generally become more small-scale and structurally diverse again. Vegetation structures should be encouraged to be as three-dimensional as possible. Practices that promote permanent soil cover—such as cover crops, undersowing and mulching—as well as the conservation of grassland must be given the highest priority. Agroforestry systems, hedgerows, field hedges and permanent grass strips slow the wind, create cooler micro- and mesoclimates, and contribute to water retention.

The sponge-city principle is now widely known, but it must lead to effective action, especially in critical urban heat islands. Municipalities should move away from isolated, purely decorative greening measures and low-maintenance plant containers towards a systemic, functional approach. Connected green-blue infrastructure must be embedded in land-use plans.