Indian Summer in the Brandenburg Pine Forest by Silva Wischeropp

I discovered these beautiful pine trees bathed in the golden light of October during my photography trip in the Oder-Spree district.
The photograph was taken on 28 October 2015 using a NIKON D90 camera (lens: SIGMA 18.0–70.0 mm f/3.5–4.5).

The appeal of Brandenburg’s pine forests lies in their minimalist beauty, the intense scent of warm resin and the profound silence they exude.
Brandenburg is Germany’s most densely forested federal state. Over 70 per cent of this forest area consists of pine trees. These vast, open forests shape the region’s identity and offer a very special aesthetic.

The tall, open canopy allows plenty of sunlight through. This creates a beautiful play of light on the forest floor. The contrast between the reddish-brown trunks, the green moss and the often sandy ground resembles a living painting.

The scent experience: on warm summer days, the sun warms the pine wood. This releases an intense, ethereal resin scent. This scent has been proven to have a calming effect on the nervous system.

The typical ‘Märkische Streusandbüchse’: The combination of gnarled pines and fine, white sandy soil is almost reminiscent of a dune landscape by the sea. It lends the landscape a rugged yet romantic character.

Soundscape and silence:
The wind in the pine treetops creates a characteristic, gentle rustling.
It is reminiscent of the sound of ocean waves. Otherwise, a meditative, almost absolute silence often prevails across the vast expanses.

The classic “pine-pine forest” (monoculture), however, is a man-made legacy of last century’s forestry practices.
Today, the forests are undergoing an exciting transformation:
To make them more resilient to drought and forest fires, a major forest conversion is underway. The pure pine forests are gradually being transformed into vibrant mixed forests with oak and beech.