Osnabrück focuses on tree diversity: 41st Tree Care Days inspires!

Osnabrück focuses on tree diversity: 41st Tree Care Days inspires!

The 41st Osnabrück Tree Care Days, which took place at the beginning of September on the Haste campus of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, not only brought together experts and interested parties from tree care, but also brought important topics about biodiversity into focus. Around 320 participants, including employees of parks departments and gardening and landscaping companies, exchanged ideas and inspired each other over two days.

An accompanying trade fair not only provided practical solutions for tree care, but was also an excellent platform for networking. The conference leader, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Bouillon, emphasized the need for a fruitful exchange between theory and practice in order to actively address the challenges surrounding urban nature. Eike Jablonski presented the red oak as the tree of the year 2025 and led exciting discussions about the importance of old city trees for biodiversity.

Biodiversity as a central issue

Particularly noteworthy are the diverse topics that were covered during the tree care days. The focus was on the influence of climatic changes on vegetation zones and the use of artificial intelligence in green space management. Practical questions, such as protecting trees on construction sites and combating pests on young trees, were discussed with experts.

On the second day, six workshops offered space for in-depth discussions. This was about lime-compatible future trees and species protection-appropriate care - an important topic in the context of biodiversity, which is also supported by initiatives such as the urban nature funding priority. The master plan, which was approved by the federal government in 2019, aims to design and maintain urban green and open spaces close to nature in order to improve the biodiversity-promoting greening of cities and communities. According to bfn.de, the use of local seeds and planting material should also be promoted and the protection of old and biotope trees should be ensured.

City of diversity

The importance of urban nature has only gained importance in urban planning in Germany in the last few decades. Historically, the relationship between humans and nature was often viewed as incompatible, leading to strict separation of urban and natural spaces. The heyday of urban green spaces in the 19th century long served as a counterbalance to urbanization - a concept that is now being modernized.

Urban nature conservation is faced with the challenge of compensating for declining biodiversity through structural densification and energy-saving renovations. Initiatives such as Animal-Aided Design aim to integrate animal and plant-friendly structures into urban planning - an indication that a change in thinking is necessary to promote diversity in our urban spaces. Planning should take more proactively into account the needs of flora and fauna and thus create living spaces that are not only beautiful but also functional.

A special highlight of the tree care days was the tree planting challenge, in which Prof. Dr. Bouillon and Pia Rode planted a Pyrenean oak. This tree species could potentially take over the role of the less adaptable English oak in the future and is an impressive example of so-called assisted migration - a measure to promote biodiversity and adapt to climate change. Gabot.de reports further on developments in tree care.

The Osnabrück tree care days and the discussions about urban nature show that it is necessary and possible to set the course for a species-rich future in our cities. The initiatives and ideas that have been brought together here give hope that biodiversity in urban areas will be given greater consideration and thus a valuable contribution can be made.