Saxon forests are currently being treated with lime from the air again. Until October, helicopters will drop almost 18,000 tons of magnesium lime, according to the state-owned company Sachsenforst. Around 6,000 hectares of forest will be treated.
The costly operation is still aimed at mitigating the consequences of acid rain from the previous century. Soil protection liming costs around 3.14 million euros this year.
Environmental pollution detectable in the soil
The acid rain was caused by industrial waste gases containing sulphur and nitrogen. According to Sachsenforst, the trees have now recovered above ground. "In the root zone, however, the environmental pollution is still measurable today," it said. The Vogtland, the Ore Mountains, the Upper Lusatian Highlands and the Zittau Mountains are particularly affected.
According to Sachsenforst, the lime is spread across state forests as well as privately owned and other areas. More than 430,000 hectares of forest have been limed since 1986.
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