An infestation of bark beetles destroyed vast areas of managed spruce forest in the Bavarian Forest Biosphere Reserve in 1990.
The authorities decided to stop logging, and let nature take charge, leaving infested trees standing. By the time Ingo took this image nearly a quarter of a century later, the forest had begun to rejuvenate. Now it has an abundance of species, including rowan and spruce of varying ages, and a carpet of reed grass, ensuring it is far more likely to survive future beetle infestations. Ingo climbed the slopes of Mt Lusen on the German-Czech Republic border, to take a picture looking down on the trees. He chose a rainy day in autumn as ‘the colours come out more brilliantly if everything is wet’. Ingo loves the remoteness of the area and considers the regrowth of ‘new life from dead matter one of the most amazing natural spectacles in the world’.
Germany
Ingo’s been fascinated by the beauty of nature since he was a child. He studied for a Bachelors in Geography and a Masters in Nature Conservation and Landscape Planning. Ingo now works as an environmental engineer and on nature filming and photography assignments. His first book about nature and conservation in Lower Bavaria was published in 2019. His second book about nature in Munich, created in collaboration with three other photographers, will be released in 2023.
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