Optimising post-bark beetle disturbance management to promote forest biodiversity and recovery under climate change
Harald Bugmann (PI, Forest Ecology, ETH); Alessandra Bottero (Deputy-PI and Co-PI, Mountain Ecosystems, SLF); Dominik Kulakowski (Co-PI, Geography, Clark University, USA); Giorgio Renz (Co-PI, Forest Ecology, Office for Forest and Natural Hazards AWN)
2024 - 2028
FinancingWSL collaborators: Theresa Banzer; Peter Bebi; Simon Blaser; Martin Gossner; Anne Kempel; Frank Krumm
Other academic collaborators: Radek Bače, Miroslav Svoboda, Lucie Vítková (Department of Forest Ecology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, CZ); Matteo Garbarino, Raffaella Marzano, Silvia Novelli, Alessia Zampiceni (Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences DISAFA, University of Torino, IT); Emanuele Lingua, Davide Marangon (Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry TESAF, University of Padova, IT); Marco Mina (Eurac Research Bolzano, IT); Euan Bowditch (Forestry and social-ecology researcher at the Scottish School of Forestry / University of the Highlands and Islands, UK).
Other collaborators: Adrian Oncelli (Ufficio della pianificazione forestale, della selvicoltura e della protezione del bosco, CH); Christian Rossi (Swiss National Park, CH); Jaroslav Červenka (Head of Forest Monitoring Department at Šumava National Park, CZ); Andrea Bertagnolli (Technical Coordinator of the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, IT); Chris Watson (Forestry Commission England’s Woodland Resilience Advisor, UK).
The BARKSHIELD project is dedicated to tackling a pressing issue: the European spruce bark beetle's impact on European forests. This small insect is causing big problems in forests across Europe, even in places where it was previously not a concern. A critical question concerns how to manage forests following outbreaks of these beetle.
The project seeks to understand what happens when we leave or remove trees that the bark beetle has killed in the forest. Does it harm biodiversity? Can new trees grow naturally in their place? The project doesn't just rely on scientific research; it involves people such as forest managers and local communities to understand what interventions can promote forest biodiversity and regeneration after bark beetle infestation, assuring the future provision of forest products and services. Furthermore, given that climate change is exacerbating the bark beetle problem, the project aims to provide practical solutions for sustainable forest management.