The meadows have dried up, the trees are losing their leaves – but it’s only the beginning of August. Munich’s green lungs – the English Garden – are affected, as are green strips, street trees and other parks. Climate change is also making itself felt in Munich in the form of a lack of rain and prolonged drought.
A look at the drought monitor from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research makes it clear: the city’s soil is too dry. That is not by accident. The last few months have been hotter, sunnier and less rainy than in the reference period 1981 to 2010 – the 30-year climate reference time frame.
A maximum of 36.8 degrees – no cooling is to be expected in Munich for the time being
A look at the German climate data reveals this weather service for Munich Airport. In July, the temperatures in Munich rose to over 30 degrees Celsius on nine days – the hottest was on July 20 at 36.8 degrees. In the comparison period, only 1.3 July days were super hot. And a look at the weather forecast shows that there is no longer any risk of cooling down or heavy rain.
The Bund Naturschutz calls for the city to be planted differently
Martin Hänsel, deputy head of the Munich district group of the Bund Naturschutz, also sees the city’s green spaces in a bad state. Especially where there is no shade, the grass is brown, dry and dead.
Hansel sees this as a “glimpse into the future”. It is therefore also questionable for him whether the classic lawns can last. He expects that the grass felts with their roots, which are only a few centimeters long, will die off right down to them and then a “random vegetation” will spread: “Not nice.” To prevent this, he calls on the building department to react.
There would have to be wild plants and flowers, as well as perennials be planted: Because they could hold the water better with their roots, which can be half a meter long. In addition, there would be a need for areas where the water can stand still during heavy rain events, which will become more frequent in the future. Not only the plants would benefit from this, the sewage system would also be relieved.
Street trees should no longer stand alone
However, we would also have to say goodbye to our avenue ideas, according to the conservationist. The street trees should no longer stand alone. Cooler air can only be reached in larger areas – individual trees only provide shade and have problems getting air and water to the roots. To protect against overheating in concreted areas and reflective facades, it makes sense to cover them with shrubs.
The building department and the Bavarian Palace and Lake Administration (BSV), which is responsible for the English Garden, do not see the problem: “On the whole, the effects of climate change in the city on the tree population and vegetation have not been so massive so far.” , it says when asked by the building department. It is normal for meadows to turn brown after several hot days and for trees to shed leaves – the meadows would regenerate.
