Overview
- July 2026’s record heat and very low river levels have produced widespread leaf drop, crown dieback and concentrated street‑tree losses in cities.
- Trained teams are currently surveying forests and will feed their findings into state and federal forest‑condition reports to quantify the full extent of 2026 damage.
- Technische Universität München researchers link the post‑2018 decline to an unprecedented biomass loss across Europe and report disturbed German forests lose about 125 tonnes of biomass per hectare.
- Drought is weakening trees and creating better conditions for pests such as bark beetles, raising the risk of further, often delayed, tree mortality in the months and years ahead.
- Urban areas are already felling drought‑killed street trees and beginning to plant more heat‑ and drought‑tolerant species, while experts say broader forest management must be adapted to protect recovery and carbon storage.