According to Germany's annual forest report published Wednesday, the country's forest are in the worst condition seen in twenty years, with almost one third of its trees seriously sick. Experts say more than 30 percent of German forests have suffered significant damage. Minister for Agriculture Renate Künast described the situation as "alarming" and attributed the development to the very dry summer of 2003. She also blamed pollution and said long-term measures are needed to protect woodlands. "The soil's memory lasts for decades. Substances stay there," she said. "That's why the policies we're enacting today will first show benefits many years from now."