environment
The proportion of damaged wood in the Vorarlberg forests reached a high before the outbreak of the CoV pandemic. Since then, the local forests have recovered well. The damage caused by wind, snow and bark beetles has also decreased in the past year.
Around 350,000 euros of solid cubic meters of wood are felled in Vorarlberg every year. State forest director Andreas Amann estimates the proportion of damaged wood at almost 15 percent. However, the final figures will not be available until the beginning of March.
This means that the local forests continue to recover well, because in 2018, 2019 and 2020 the proportion of damaged wood was still around 60 percent, emphasizes Amann. This has caused great losses to the forestry sector.
Hardly any problems with bark beetles
In the past year, there were hardly any trees that were damaged by storms or collapsed under the weight of snow, Amann sums up. The bark beetle infestation was also very small, it was only visible in the higher southern regions – such as in the Montafon or Klostertal – he says.
This has to do with the fact that it has rained more in the last two years, which does not suit the bark beetles. In the years 2018 to 2020, however, it was very dry, which favored the reproduction of insects.
Ash dieback continues unabated
The development of the ash population is less positive: Amann regrets that the dying of ash trees continues unabated. The inventory is getting smaller. That is why young trees are currently being cultivated that are resistant to the type of fungus that is dangerous for ash trees. The trees will then be planted out in the next few years, he explains.