2020

Foresters Discuss the Spread of Bark Beetles in Vidzeme

On 16 January, Latvia's State Forest Embassy in Āraiši brought together representatives of Amata municipality, private forest owners, the State Forest Service and various forest management companies to discuss and share experiences with LVM experts on the spruce bark beetle, evaluate pest spread risks due to the warm winter and share tips for action in case of attacks of European spruce bark beetles.

“Lately, air temperatures no longer match the seasons, so European spruce bark beetles produce stable three generations per year. This is an additional attack on spruce stands. This winter is also very favourable for the aggressive pest. Most bark beetles are currently in the soil and need more than minus 28 degrees for them to freeze out,” tells Vilmārs Katkovskis, LVM Rietumvidzeme Regional Forest Management Planning Manager.

During the meeting, LVM experts emphasized the need to visit their forest stands and regularly check the property for bark beetles. It is important to do so now until the air temperature has risen to 20 degrees Celsius, when bark beetles fly in search of spruce stands. If the property shows any signs of bark beetles, the most appropriate protective measures should be chosen. At the moment, a joint action plan is being prepared at the state level to provide foresters all over Latvia with guidance on how to jointly limit the spread of bark beetles in spruce stands.

“Damage caused by bark beetles in certain regions has reached almost emergency levels. Although forest properties in Latvia are fragmented, namely, they have different owners and management plans, bark beetles do not respect these boundaries. Therefore, forest owners need to act in a timely and uniform manner in order to be effective in controlling the spread of bark beetles. The protection of spruce stands should be subordinate to the bark beetle development cycle in all areas, including protected areas. Otherwise, foresters will continue to struggle with the consequences. Of course, only the government can change these rules,” retired forester Kaspars Riže shared his thoughts on bark beetle control measures.

In Vidzeme, the largest endangered areas are located in Līgatne and Amata municipalities, as well as in spruce stands in the vicinity of Gulbene. During the meeting, forest owners in Amata Municipality expressed their concern about the fact that there are protected areas nearby their land where forestry works are not permitted. “My forest property is in danger because the entire Amata Valley, a section adjacent to my property, has already been damaged. There were very beautiful fir trees there, but they were damaged three years ago, and now they are starting to fall,” says one of the participants of the discussion “Attention! Bark Beetles in Vidzeme”.

In cooperation with the local government of Amata Municipality, it is planned to organize several educational events on topical issues of forest management at the Latvia's State Forest Embassy in Āraiši. The second event is planned in spring, inviting those interested to talk about seeds and seedlings.