On 26 December 1999 a winter storm or hurricane called Lothar raced across Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Black Forest in Germany.  The devastation was vast.  After clearing up all the mowed down trees, reforestation was tackled but in a particular area in the Black Forest a section of the woods was left untouched so that one could see how nature recuperated  if left alone.  A walkway was constructed to allow access without damaging the re-growth.

Ten years later one can still see the swath of destruction of the hurricane.

The walkway leading over the small bushes and trees starting to reclaim the soil.

The trees which had been uprooted were left lying where they fell and their roots were exposed to the elements.

We didn’t live in Germany then but we visited the “Lotharpfad” (Lothar path) ten years later.  My husband in particular enjoyed the trip as he is called Lothar.  He also enjoyed the headline of a tabloid a year later which read: “How much is a Lothar?” with the article tallying up the cost of the storm.

For One Word Sunday with the topic devastation.