The tree population in the Calenberger Land is suffering from drought, which weakens it and makes it more susceptible to diseases. About 3.5 hectares of forest have disappeared on Stemmer Berg. With funds from the lavera forest project, around 6,000 more climate-resilient trees were recently planted on an area of about 1 hectare by the Nedden forestry operation.

Many forest owners have already lost their forests as a result of climate change. The interest group at Stemmer Berg, which owns a 4.9-hectare forest area, has also felt these effects: last year, trees had to be felled on an area of about 3.5 hectares. The necessary funds for reforestation could not be raised independently. For this reason, lavera supports the Stemmen forestry community with funds from the lavera forest project and provided 6,000 trees, which were planted in December 2023 by the Jörg Nedden forestry operation.

The following trees were planted on Stemmer Berg:

• Pedunculate oaks, red oaks, Norway maples, European elms, hornbeams
• At the forest edge: sweet chestnuts, wild cherries

The goal of the lavera forest project is to transform dead forest areas so that the trees can better withstand climate change. In 2021, brand founder Thomas Haase initiated the lavera forest project to counteract forest dieback. "Forests have important functions in our ecosystem. Trees clean the air and raise the groundwater level. Without forest cover, water supply would no longer be sufficient. In addition, forest areas are important habitats and recreational areas. We have been working with nature for over 35 years and have made it our goal to preserve nature. That is why I founded the lavera forest project in 2021, with which we want to promote more diversity and healthy forests. Forests have a direct impact on the global and regional climate. The sustainable forests of tomorrow are mixed forests, where deciduous and coniferous tree species native to the respective region coexist."

From the beginning, lavera has worked with forest scientist Jörg Nedden on the forest project, who has specialized for 25 years in transforming forests with more climate-resilient trees. Jörg Nedden: "We need to learn again to work with nature. In the past, fast-growing woods were planted. Especially spruce forests, which only find optimal conditions at an altitude of 700m, cannot withstand climate change. Climate change presents us with challenges. Old trees will gradually disappear from the forests, for example. Because these trees are no longer able—because they never learned during their growth—to reach the groundwater with their roots."

With funds from the lavera forest project, forest areas at Benther Berg and Marienburg in the Hanover region have already been reforested. More about our planting areas.