Rostock will become the forest capital in 2026: 1,000 foresters expected for the anniversary!

Rostock will become the forest capital in 2026: 1,000 foresters expected for the anniversary!

The city of Rostock is preparing for a big event: the 72nd annual meeting of the German Forestry Association will take place in the Hanseatic city in June 2026. Around 1,000 foresters from all over the German-speaking region have already announced their participation. It is the largest training event for foresters in this region and brings together experts to discuss key topics and developments in the field of forestry. The last conference in Rostock took place exactly 100 years ago, namely in 1926, and was an important part of the association's history, as Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schraml, President of the German Forestry Association, emphasizes.

Matthias Fromm, Rostock's tourism director, describes the event as a close connection between forest and sea, which is typical of the region. This connection has historical roots; The forester Hermann Friedrich Becker was the first known bather in Warnemünde in 1817. These cities are characterized not only by their beautiful beach, but also by a rich forest landscape that offers a variety of leisure opportunities.

A festival for the whole city

The conference extends over five days and begins on June 3, 2026 with various seminars and meetings in the Rostock town hall. A varied program is planned for the participants, which includes a visit to the WAL beach bar in Warnemünde, a forester party at the M.A.U. Club and excursions into the city and the surrounding area. Preparations are already in full swing and the Rostock Convention Bureau (RCB) is working closely with the German Forest Association to organize the event.

Around 500 hotel rooms have already been reserved, so that the city is well prepared for the numerous guests. An accompanying program with the motto “Experience the forest in Rostock” is offered not only for the conference participants, but also for the locals. Activities such as a forest mobile, a forest Olympics for school classes, a forest concert in the Kurhausgarten Warnemünde and exhibitions in the town hall are also part of the plan. Such activities are intended to raise awareness of the important role of forests in our society.

Forests and their importance

The connection between humans and forests is as old as the history of civilization itself. The condition and extent of forests depend heavily on human activities. It is estimated that around 10,000 years ago, around 6.2 billion hectares of the earth's surface was forested. Unfortunately, a third of it has been converted into agricultural land. Today, forests are heavily influenced by human intervention - especially in temperate zones, where hardly any natural forests exist anymore. At the same time, there are parts of the world where forests have remained largely unaffected.

The German Forestry Association hopes that there will be greater awareness of the importance of forests, not least through events like the conference in Rostock. Thanks to its ideal location on the Baltic Sea and excellent accessibility, Rostock becomes a meeting point for discussions and specialist exchanges. The anticipation of a reunion of experts from the entire region is palpable and shows how much the topics of forests and sustainability are becoming more important today.