Climate crisis: how beetles and fire are devouring European forests

The climate crisis has accelerated the dieback (death of trees) in forests in Germany.

Extreme temperatures and drought-hit summers have resulted in a surge in bark beetle populations. Since 2018 Germany has lost half a million hectares of forest. In particular, spruce species have been heavily impacted.

"Here, in the Frankenwald (Franconian Forest) we have large-scale forest dieback. It is a catastrophe. What was built up through generations, was destroyed in just three years.” Explains Matthias Lindig, Forester, and Bavarian State Forest Office Agent.

Matthias's team fights the bark beetle, but already one-quarter of the spruce forest in north-eastern Bavaria is dead. Overlooking just one beetle spruce can lead to widespread infestation and in a few weeks, 400 further trees can become infected and die. 

When it’s hot and dry, Germany's spruce monocultures become easy prey for beetles. Since April the number of bark beetles is skyrocketing again.

“One spruce can be infested by some 500 to 1000 bark beetles, they kill the tree – and they proliferate, producing 20.000 young beetles… that’s why it’s so fast, so quick. Once upon a time, with just one generation (per year), you could handle. But with three generation, it’s getting difficult…” SaysHannes Lemme, Bug Hunter, and Entomologist.

Some private forest owners have the courage to try new ways of working. Christof Körner, has a young “forest of the future” that he planted seven years ago. It's an interesting combination of trees, healthy and fresh, and flourishing despite the drought-ridden summer.

"In the past, (local) wood producers considered hardwood being weed trees. It got eliminated. Just the spruce was valued, the spruce was the breadwinning tree.” Says Christof. We