Forest Bark beetle situation has eased somewhat in Switzerland
The bark beetle situation has eased in some regions of Switzerland. In 2024, the spruce bark beetle, the most damaging bark beetle species for spruces, caused less damage than in the previous year.
20.03.2025, 15:17
SDA
The forest area with bark beetle infestation decreased by three percent compared to 2023, as reported by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) on Thursday.
The amount of damaged wood was estimated at 622,850 cubic meters in 2024. This would fill around 7300 standard articulated lorries. This is around 1,000 truckloads less than in the previous year, when 713,210 cubic meters of spruce wood were infested by the spruce bark beetle.
Across Switzerland, around 13 percent fewer spruce trees had to be forcibly harvested last summer compared to the previous year. Forced harvesting refers to the unplanned, short-term felling and utilization of infested trees.
The situation worsened regionally
However, the situation did not ease everywhere. A very large amount of beetle wood is currently being reported from the Vaud Jura, a region where the beetle situation has worsened significantly in the last three years.
According to the WSL, repeated droughts in the summer in the region have probably contributed to the observed increase in beetle wood. This is favored by shallow soils that dry out quickly.
Despite the easing of the situation, there is no all-clear, emphasized the research institute. How the book pressure damage would develop in Switzerland in 2025 would depend heavily on the weather conditions.
The forest report published two days ago by the Federal Office for the Environment and the WSL also came to the conclusion that the forest in Switzerland is in a weakened state. In some regions, such as the Jura, the situation was even assessed as critical.
