Sailershausen University Forest
The University Forest of the University of Wuerzburg in Sailershausen, Lower Franconia, combines science, education, and sustainable forest management. The university has owned forest land for nearly 450 years. In 1582, it was endowed with forest and other lands during its re-establishment by Wuerzburg’s Prince-Bishop Julius Echter.
Covering almost 23 square kilometers, the University Forest is home to a diverse mixed deciduous forest including oak, chequer tree, Norway maple, sycamore maple, field maple, beech, hornbeam, small-leaved lime, ash, service tree, and cherry. This diversity increases the forest’s resilience against pests and the impacts of climate change.
For this reason, the University Forest serves as a valuable research site. Scientists can investigate how drought stress, biodiversity loss, and climate change affect a species-rich forest. The insights gained contribute to the development of strategies for sustainable forest management and demonstrate how forests can be shaped to be climate-resilient and future-ready.
Thus, the University Forest is not only a historical legacy of the University of Wuerzburg, but also an important model region for developing sustainable solutions to address the climate and biodiversity crises.
