Climate change in historic gardens

Presentation of the results of a DBU research project and strategies from Muskau Park with Cord Panning, Managing Director of the "Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau" Foundation

Verfaultes Kernholz einer gefällten Eiche

The starting point for the research project on climate change in historic gardens was the drought years of 2018-2020, which triggered the dramatic loss of old park trees, which is still increasing exponentially. Since then, thousands of trees have been lost in the parks every year or have to be felled for safety reasons. This is a disaster from an ecological and heritage conservation point of view and affects the millions of park visitors and lovers, but of course also emotionally. When magnificent gardens such as Babelsberg or Muskau threaten to collapse, this is not only a horticultural problem, but also raises questions about strategies for the future management of these cherished cultural sites. They are home to countless individual memories and are also collective anchors of identity in German cultural and art history.

In view of this multifaceted significance, lamenting and communicating the problem situation alone is no longer enough - it is now a matter of taking the most concrete approaches possible. This is the aim of the current DBU project, which on the one hand is taking stock of the large state gardens in Germany with regard to tried and tested, empirically validated experimental arrangements and on the other hand is seeking to build bridges to neighboring disciplines such as forestry and specifically to science. As a result, a whole series of promising, selective approaches to the water-soil-plant problem complex can be listed. The actual conclusion, however, is that a holistic, integral approach is necessary that includes all existing approaches and at the same time links back into the natural processes and cycles. If this reorientation in the management philosophy is taken to heart and the park maintenance companies are strengthened in their competence and effectiveness, there is justified optimism that with a new generation of woody plants, the garden artworks can be made much more resilient to the climate requirements of the future. The lecture will last approx. 1.5 hours.Translated with DeepL

Meeting point: Cavalier wings

Price: €6.00

Reduced price: €4.00

Booking: Tickets: tickets.spsg.de (bookable soon)