Never since German reunification has so much wood been felled in German forests for energy production as in the past year. 13.8 million cubic meters meant an increase of 17.3 percent compared to 2021, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office on Friday. The so-called energy wood thus accounted for 17.6 percent of the total felling.
The total amount of 78.7 million cubic meters of wood was 5.1 percent lower than in the record year 2021. The amount of so-called damaged wood as a result of insect infestation and wind damage fell in absolute terms, but at 44.7 million cubic meters it did still accounts for well over half of all logging. Spruce monocultures in particular have been heavily attacked by bark beetles in recent years.
As a result, more than two thirds (67.1 percent) of the total amount of wood was made up of softwood such as spruce, fir and Douglas fir. In the two previous years, the proportion of softwood was over 70 percent.
