Heinrich Cotta

Cotta was born in Hanau to forester Nicholas Heinrich (1730-1796) and Ursula Elisabeth née Erbe.

The new forestry school attracted students throughout Europe, and in 1813 was visited by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Others who helped establish forestry included Georg Ludwig Hartig, Friedrich Wilhelm Leopold Pfeil, Johann Christian Hundeshagen, and Carl Justus Heyer.

Cotta was interested in all aspects of forestry, including studies involving long-term seeding, establishment of forested areas, and tree-cutting based on mathematic practices.

In 1816, Cotta wrote: Cotta established a three step approach to forestry, the first was to survey the extent, the second was to estimate the mass of wood along with growth rates, and the third was to link it to a monetary value system with forests as capital, and yield being interest over time along with calculations of economic value.