Climate-mediating role of forests in Central and Eastern Europe

The material-and-energy impact of forests on the environment is significant for climate and public health, depending on their local extent and productivity. The boreal-nemoral forests of Germany, Poland and Ukraine make up more than one-fifth of the production potential of Central and Eastern Europe forests. Forests in Germany with an average annual increment of 10.8 m3timber/ha produce 5.26 t/ha/y of oxygen, transpire 3152 t/ha/y of water and, by evaporation, consume 2.17 GWh/ha/y of thermal energy. Accordingly, Polish forests with an annual increment of 5.7 m3/ha have only half of this environmental potential; and Ukrainian forests with an annual increment of 3.9 m3/ha have a potential one-fifth of those in Germany. Consumption of thermal energy during evaporation cools the 30 m surface layer of air over Germany by 2.09°С, Poland by 1.01°С, and Ukraine by 0.39°С.