Jubilee Arboretum at Weihenstephaner Berg
Trees provide shade, save the climate and give life. For the 50th anniversary of the HSWT, we planted an arboretum with 50 different trees. Now we want to find out which can best cope with climate change. Here we introduce the trees and their sponsoring people.
HSWT: the Climate University
On the occasion of our anniversary, we have established an exclusive, accessible arboretum along a near-natural path on the northern slope of the Weihenstephaner Berg. Private individuals, sponsoring communities, institutions and companies have taken on sponsorships for the trees in the vicinity of our picturesque orchard meadows.
Prof. Dr Bernd Hertle, director of the Weihenstephan Gardens, carefully selected the tree species for the arboretum. For the students from subjects such as Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, it is an "outdoor lecture hall" where they can look at and touch everything they have learned in theory.
Site plan
Biomass & knowledge for future generations - an interview on the Arboretum
"For me, every tree is an investment in the future".
Why are trees important for climate protection?
First of all, trees store CO2, thus relieving the atmosphere. To be more precise: they only keep the carbon but release the oxygen. In addition, their shade provides cooling. That is particularly important in cities, where the "urban heat effect" quickly occurs: in extreme cases, temperatures in the inner city are up to 13 degrees higher than in the countryside. This is because stones and concrete store heat during the day, which they release again at night.
Tree transpiration also contributes to the improvement of the urban climate: On hot days, they cool their leaf surfaces by transpiring water from them - evaporation also makes the surrounding humidity more pleasant. Now, our arboretum is naturally not located in the middle of a city but our trees here have a test character: we can use them to find out how the different species deal with heat.
Why were these 50 tree species chosen?
All the trees in our arboretum must be suitable for their location and have the expected winter hardiness. In addition, they should be tree species that are available in Europe. Above all, however, we want to represent the vast diversity possible in the arboretum, because that is necessary for successful climate-friendly greening. If, for example, urban greening is based on a few tree species, there is a great danger that, sooner or later, pests will appear and spread at high speed because they find ideal conditions everywhere. Then it is catastrophic. Diversity highly increases the chances that the greening will last.
Which tree species are best for the climate?
You can't say that categorically. The denser the foliage of a tree, the more water it stores and the more it evaporates. But since there is often not enough water in the inner city area, we primarily depend on tree species that need little water to survive healthily.
Why was this site chosen?
This area offers sufficient space - and we need it - because we naturally hope the trees will grow large and still be standing in 200 years. In addition, this placement allows us to ideally integrate the arboretum into the teaching because it creates a connection between the Oberdieckgarten at the top of Weihenstephaner Berg and the Sichtungsgarten in the lower part of the campus - a green band between the gardens.
What do you want for the arboretum?
For me, every tree is an investment in the future: I hope that with the arboretum we create something that will last and be valuable far beyond our time. My wish is, that many more generations of students will expand their knowledge in this "outdoor lecture hall" and that walkers will still be able to stroll around the arboretum in 300 years.
What do trees mean to you personally?
A tree is something beautiful for me - it connects earth and sky and is a mirror of the seasons. After all, we humans are not a product of industrialisation but originally grew up in green environments, so we have an emotional connection to trees. Old, venerable trees have a special aura; it is not by chance that the centre of a village used to be a tree. Today, we look at trees very rationally - as we do to some extent in the arboretum, keyword "evaporation capacity and water storage". But we should never forget that every tree is somethng truly special.