Living Things
Forests and Woodlands
Describe the forest – and discuss how we look after it.
Forests cover about a third of Germany. They are places for walks and wildlife, but also for heated debates about drought, bark beetles, wildfires and forest management.
Key Words
Ten essential words with their German meaning and an example sentence.
| English | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| woodland | Wald, Waldgebiet | There's a small area of woodland behind the village. |
| mixed forest | Mischwald | Mixed forests cope better with storms and drought. |
| canopy | Kronendach | Very little light gets through the canopy in summer. |
| undergrowth | Unterholz | A deer disappeared into the undergrowth. |
| clearing | Lichtung | We had a picnic in a sunny clearing. |
| deadwood | Totholz | Deadwood provides a home for beetles and fungi. |
| bark beetle | Borkenkäfer | Bark beetles have damaged large areas of spruce forest. |
| to fell (a tree) | fällen | The damaged trees had to be felled. |
| reforestation | Wiederaufforstung | The reforestation project uses native tree species. |
| wildfire | Waldbrand | In dry summers, the risk of wildfires increases. |
Word Partners
Natural English depends on words that belong together. Learn these as complete phrases.
- forest floor
- dense forest
- forest management
- tree cover
- to plant trees
- a forest fire
- sustainable forestry
- ancient woodland
"The forest floor was covered in moss, ferns and fallen leaves."
Useful Phrases
Sentence patterns you can use straight away.
Describing a forest
- The canopy is so dense that little light reaches the ground.
- The path leads through a clearing.
- It smells of pine and damp earth.
- The trees are bare / in full leaf.
Discussing forests
- Many spruce forests have been damaged by drought and bark beetles.
- Mixed forests are more resilient.
- Deadwood should be left for wildlife.
- Forests store large amounts of carbon.
Talk About It
Answer these questions aloud, write a short paragraph, or discuss them with a partner.
- Is there a forest near where you live? What is it like?
- What do you enjoy doing in the woods?
- Why are large spruce plantations a problem?
- Should dead trees be left in the forest or removed?
Test Yourself
Click a question to see the answer.
1. What is "Lichtung" in English?
A clearing.
2. What is the top layer of branches and leaves in a forest called?
The canopy.
3. What does "to fell a tree" mean?
To cut it down.
Explore More
Related topics on Talking English.
Talk about forests and woodlands.
Learn the words, use them in real sentences and share what you notice with others.
Walk. Look up. Listen. Breathe.