Nuclear power plants as sources of forest decline

In view of the progressing decline of forests all over Central Europe it is likely that damaged areas will be found also in the vicinity of nuclear installations. However, no cause-and-effect relationship has been confirmed so far. Evaluation and assessment of the current literature suffices to dispel the suspicions of any involvement of nuclear power plants in forest disease. The debate about a possible connection was sparked off especially by publications by G. Reichelt, in which an attempt was made to establish such interaction for the case of the German nuclear power station of Obrigheim. The findings reported and interpreted in that connection do not stand up to critical reviewing, however. (orig.)