All around the world forests are endangered. Forests which have been proved to provide us sustainably with oxygene and wood as well as with many other products and benefits. Forests are storing billions of tons of carbon dioxide. They also are offering habitats for a big number of plant and animal species as well as other organisms. Forests are endangered more or less by many natural and anthropogenic impacts.

The applied discipline forest protection is focussing on the endangering impact actors affecting forests, as there are abiotic factors like weather (storms, droughts etc.), air pollution, wild fires etc. and biotic factors like insects, mammals (game and rodents), fungi and other harmful organisms, which can threaten forests.

Forest protection experts can be regarded as "forest doctors“ as they are dedicated to the health of forests.

They have to analyze the causes of damages and diseases with the interpretation of symptoms (diagnosis).

Forest doctors have to estimate the further course of damages and diseases (prognosis).

They have to suggest measurements to take for control, if necessary and possible, and to show how to apply those measurements (therapy).

Most important in forest protection management is to provide measurements and tools, which can prevent or confine damages and diseases with silvicultural, mechanical etc. measurements (prevention).

Since there are many impacts, which can cause damages and diseases in forests, like in human health research many specialized scientists are required, forest entomologists and pathologists such as specialists for vertebrates or in a near future also for fire ecology and control management. 

Though the application of chemical agents in german forests was distinctly reduced continuously within the last 30 years, also specialists for chemical plant protection will be needed to be able to control outbreaks of forest insects. Some insects can kill large forest areas, mainly, when the trees are weakened e. g. by drought or precedent insect infestations. 

There must exist also a few generalists for practical forest protection management, who are able to compile and evaluate the findings of the specialists in order to develop and to communicate fundamental decision criteria to politicians, forest services and forest owners, which have to take into consideration as ecological as well as social and economical aspects. 

The Measurements have to take into consideration the principles of the integrated forest protection management, which can include as biological, biotechnical, mechanical and, in case that the existence of forest stands is threatened, also the application of authorized chemical agents. All actions have to take into consideration the possible restrictions by laws in order tu prevent side effects.

Within the publications, which are shown on this site, you will find as scientific publications on forest protection, monitoring, forest entomology and forest decline as well as popular articles and handouts for forest staff and owners as for the public, which are based on the scientific and practical experience of the author.

The publications in the 1980s focused the new phenomenon of forest decline (forest dieback), which threatened the forests also in Southwest Germany.

In the 1990s and later the impacts of violent storms and the subsequent threats by bark beetle infestations were focused as well as outbreaks of gypsy moth and forest cockchafer.

From 2000 on the impacts of climate change, harmful invasive organisms and biodiversity are major issues. Biodiversity became more and more important. It has been considered to be an important precondition for the stability of our forests, not only towards pest organisms but also towards abiotic impacts as storms and wild fires.

This homepage is a private and not profit site and it is showing only the titles of H. Schröter as a single author and those with collectives of authors with H. Schröter as a head or a co-author.

Therefore you can find only scientific publications since 2014. So e. g. wild fires had not been an important problem in Southwest Germany until today. But the situation may and will change facing and considering the increasing drought and heat periods in summer of the last two decades.

Storm damages with subsequent bark beetles outbreaks as well as other insect calamities however will occur more or less short or long termed. In those cases interested people will like to inform about the experiences in the years or decades  before in order to make the appropriate decisions to manage the outbreaks.The publication list is divided into issue blocks in order to find easily the publications on the topics you are looking for.

Most publications are in German, some of them include a summary or an abstract. A few of them are in English and French.

In “Aktuelles” (news) you will find some Comments to actual issues concerning forestry, forest protection management, environment, biodiversity and nature conservation. With these comments I would like to offer my experience in these issues, which are discussed in the scientific community and in the public.