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Forests: the government announces a plan to fight the scourge of the bark beetle
Forests: the government announces a plan to fight the scourge of the bark beetle
(France 2)
Although the bark beetle and its larvae only measure a few millimeters, this species has been devastating tens of thousands of hectares in French forests for years. It is proliferating because of global warming. The government has just announced a plan to fight this scourge.
It is an almost invisible enemy that threatens the future of our forests. The bark beetle and its larvae measure only a few millimeters. However, this species alone has been devastating tens of thousands of hectares for years. In a Moselle forest, it only takes a few moments for Hubert Schmuck, technical manager at the ONF of the Sarrebourg and Bitche regions, to find traces of the little beetle. Under the bark of a spruce tree, fine galleries bear witness to its destructive passage.
Varying tree species to combat
“The larvae, as they grow, consume the layer where most of the sap circulates, and therefore prevent the sap from rising, and will kill the trees”, explains Hubert Schmuck. In recent years, bark beetles have proliferated due to global warming. Faced with this growing threat, the government has just announced a plan with funding aid for machines that remove the bark from infested trees. But to effectively combat the bark beetle, it may be necessary to put an end to monoculture and vary the tree species.
