Autumn is in full swing, it is already November 1, but if you look around carefully you will see that the trees are still full of leaves. Leaves that are often still green. How can it take so long for the real autumn colors to appear? And is it bad that it all starts so late?
Rudmer Veenstra, forester at Natuurmonumenten, answers all our pressing questions.
“If you look at ten, twenty years ago, at this time of year it was much more colorful in the forest than it is today. So in that respect it is certainly different times.”
“But I have noticed it more than once in recent years. It varies from year to year. It has to do with the temperatures in the autumn and climate changes. And I think it is something we have to get used to.” “
“This year the months of October and November are in the top ten warmest months ever. Nature is responding to that.”
“When night frost occurs, trees withdraw sap. So you see that when it gets colder, trees withdraw nutrients. But it is still 15 degrees and at night it is also 6/7 degrees.”
“Well, that’s bad. It undoubtedly has consequences for certain plant and animal species. For example, the longer the leaves are on the trees, the less light falls on the ground, and that of course has its effect on fungi and insects that are active there. But I don’t know exactly to what extent it really has consequences.”