Speakers - 2026

The search for and investigation of many tree Methuselahs in Germany and studies abroad gave rise to the desire for making an active contribution to enable more old trees in this country to survive longer. In addition to hotspots of biodiversity and epigenetics, they are also cultural monuments, can impressively illustrate the importance of adaptation to researchers, but also to tree interested people, and are therefore invaluable.

This is how the idea of the National Heritage Trees in 2019 was born, and a foundation was prepared to finance everything up to the 100th National Heritage Tree – now 70 trees have already been selected and proclaimed. What will then be possible with 100 trees, is a great vision: ' National Heritage Trees' a new category of tree preservation and protection for centuries.

There is an increasing need to notice, appreciate and protect old trees more than before. The so-called long- lived tree species (with longevity of more than 500 years) are particularly important for this, and they therefore understandably represent the highest proportion among tree natural monuments. This makes it clear what responsibility we have for such old trees and that everything must be done to preserve them for posterity. It is impressive to realize that they must be able to tolerate all events, changes and variabilities of location, environment and climate over such a long time of living. Consequently, it can also be assumed that they have a particularly high potential for adaptation. This capability is fixed in their genes, i.e. their seeds.

Trees with a high age or at least with a long potential life expectancy are not only natural monuments but also cultural history, as can be seen in more intensive research for all these old trees. The already existing protection category of natural monument is definitely not sufficient for such nationally outstanding individual trees, as it is too local/regional.

As a result, up to 100 trees are now selected as National Heritage Trees in Germany since 2019 (https://nationalerbe-baeume.de) – the time horizon for this is a total of 10 years (until 2029), as the selection of suitable trees, the conclusion of an agreement with the tree owners, the preparation and implementation of the proclamation takes a lot of time, and a maintenance concept for each of these trees has to be developed, what the planning of measures is then based on.