2021

Climate Change and the Forest

Scientists predict that due to climate change, there will be more and more strong storms in Latvia in the future, especially in summer, when the winds will be able to fell growing trees in a large area in a short time. Rising average air temperatures will also affect processes in the forest.

“Climate change will be more serious in the Mediterranean over the next 100 years, as the extremely hot and dry climate will prevent trees from growing there and forestry as a sector is unlikely to exist there at all. Climate and forest researchers are of the opinion that climate change in Latvia and other Nordic countries will also open up new opportunities – there will be a longer vegetation season, higher average air temperature, and trees will grow better,” says Jurģis Jansons, Lead Researcher at the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”.

In Latvia, the wind will be stronger in summers and more difficult to predict; moreover, due to the warm winters, the soil will not freeze sufficiently, thus the trees growing in the forests will be less resistant to windfalls. Forestry is already looking for solutions and using science-based methods to grow stronger trees that can withstand the effects of climate change. Such trees have stronger roots and crowns and grow faster.

As the climate gets warmer, the proliferation of conifer/leaf rodent pests in Europe is expected to increase in frequency and spread to the northern regions in the coming years. As the average annual temperature increases, the prevalence of the most dangerous pest of spruce stands in Latvia – the European spruce bark beetle – will increase.

Healthy forests play a crucial role in mitigating global climate change, since growing and productive forests act as carbon sinks.