Letting the Forest Be Forest: Holtzbrinck Invests in a Forest Project on the Mosel River in Germany

The heatwaves of the past few weeks have made it clear to many of us once again: our cities and landscapes are heating up — and the consequences go far beyond uncomfortable summer days. Data from the ECONICS Institute e.V. shows that it isn't only big cities that become heat hotspots. Cleared, tree-poor landscapes also heat up disproportionately, dry out, and lose the ability that should protect them: keeping themselves and their surroundings cool.

With a newly developed index for green cover, moisture, and cooling, the ECONICS Institute e.V. has shown for the first time just how closely vegetation, water, and temperature are connected. Green, moist landscapes don't just cool themselves — they even encourage more rainfall and make entire ecosystems more resilient. Our colleagues at DIE ZEIT reported on the relevance of these connections for agriculture and climate adaptation last year.

A Forest Left to Itself

This is exactly where a project comes into play that we have recently begun investing in: together with our partner woodify, we are supporting a roughly 285-hectare forest area adjacent to the Mosel river.

The principle behind it is deliberately simple: rather than focusing on a single goal like CO₂ storage, as classic climate projects often do, this approach is about giving the forest as a whole more strength to regenerate itself. A healthy forest can regulate itself — the more trees, species, and structural variety it has, the better it can buffer heat and drought and keep performing its vital functions for climate and nature in the long run.

In practical terms: for the next 30 years, no timber will be harvested on the site, and heavy machinery will stay out. Dead trees and plant matter remain in the forest instead of being removed. They improve the soil, store carbon, retain water, and provide habitat for many species. The forest is left to grow and change on its own, without a fixed plan.

Science Accompanies the Project

What makes this project special is that its development is scientifically monitored by ECONICS Institute, a think tank for ecosystems. Some of the partners from woodify and ECONICS are also active in research at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development. Satellite imagery is used to monitor the area regularly and at a large scale, tracking how green and healthy the vegetation is, how warm the soil is, and how biomass and water availability change over time. Long-term data series make it possible to see, step by step, how the forest is developing.

This monitoring by satellite is complemented by on-the-ground measurements: sensors capture temperature and moisture in soil and air, team members count and document trees and plants, the soil is examined more closely, and even birdsong is recorded to track biodiversity. 360° photo documentation is also used to follow the forest's development over the years. Our sustainability team got to see this work firsthand during a recent visit — from measuring individual trees to setting up small sample plots in the forest.

In this way, observations from the forest feed directly into research, and scientific findings, in turn, help shape how the project continues to evolve.

Why We're Involved

"We're not interested in a quick result, but in an impact that lasts," says Stephanie Trinkl, Senior Vice President Group Sustainability at Holtzbrinck. "Simply giving this forest the time and space to recover on its own reflects the way we want to think as a company too: taking the long view, grounded in science, and genuinely curious about how nature works."

Learn more about the ECONICS Institute's Green-Moist-Cool Index here.