Trees standing near water sources also show signs of stress due to constant harsh sunlight, lack of atmospheric humidity, storms, increasing fungal infections, and the spread of new insect species. The park has lost over 100 trees annually since 2015, with the number reaching 315 in 2020.
The Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation is addressing the issue through an open-air exhibition titled “Re:Generation,” which highlights the problems and potential solutions.
Visitors can see examples of trees suffering from “sunburn,” receded groundwater, and “survival artists” that have defied the difficulties. The gardeners hope to work with the genetic material of the park’s oldest trees, which are about 300 years old, to adapt to the changing climate.
Sanssouci Palace, completed in 1747, was the summer residence of Prussian King Frederick II. The garden, which covers nearly 300 hectares and employs nearly 60 gardeners, has been part of Unesco’s World Heritage List since 1990. While almost all native tree species have struggled with the effects of climate change, the solution is not to introduce exotic species due to the region’s central European climate with long and late frosts.Instead, the gardeners are considering using varieties of linden trees, oaks, beeches, or others from areas such as southeastern Europe that have very hot summers but also late frosts, provided they look similar to the trees already at Sanssouci.
The goal is to maintain the park’s appearance while adapting to the changing climate.
