Climate change not only changes our forests, the beetle attack also gets worse in Carinthia. The bark beetle is the greatest danger, so 3.2 million fixed meters had to be shot in 2023, almost only cheaply damaged wood. And foresthygiene counts.
The beetle pest in the forests of Carinthia gets worse. The bark beetle mainly increases the spures. “It is always connected to storms,” says Elisabeth Schaschl of the Chamber of Agriculture. “In 2018 it started in Upper Carinthia with the Vaia Storm, which was a lot of disaster. In the previous year the Stormcentrum was the Sturm Center in Carinthia. The spruce is a flat root, the thin fine roots cracks during strong storms. A drought follows, after which the trees are very sensitive.” And the bark beetle spreads.
Millions of fixed meters of damaged wood
“In 2023, 3.2 million solid wood had to be beaten, 2.2 million of them were damaged wood, which is 30 euros cheaper when selling. It often serves as a wood to warm up. In 2022 there were 2.9 million fixed meters because of the beetle, 1.5 million meters remained as cheap -damaged wood.”
The figures are not yet at the table for 2024. “There are 18,000 forest farmers in Carinthia, the bad storm damage adds the forests with the Beetle besfeting. According to an estimate, 2.5 million fixed meters had to be shot in the previous year,” says SchazeChl.
Snowless Winter can be difficult
This year, the winter, which was usually without snow, is preparing a headache, except the mountain areas. “The feathers restore the snow, the ground is wet. Unfortunately there was nothing to see this year,” says Schasch. “And the drought is a paradise for the bark beetles.” The SpitTal area is most affected by the beetle pest, then Hermagor comes. Last year was the international market.
Carinthia 60 percent covered by forest
Foresthygiene counts. “After the beetle plague, the wood must be brought out of the forest immediately so that the vermin cannot develop. The forest farmers are also well confronted,” Schasch praises. Carinthia has a forest area of 584,000 hectares and a forest area of more than 60 percent. After Styria we are the second Western State of Austria. There is about a hectare forest on every carinthian. Now warmth, storms and beetles set the forests.
Source: Krone
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