Bark beetles devastate Norway spruces in Koli National Park, Finland

Changes occurring in the Koli National Landscape are regarded as natural by Metsähallitus. According to Yle, a mass occurrence of bark beetles is killing Norway spruces in Koli National Park in Lieksa. The number of standing dead spruces has nearly doubled over the past year. Climate change has created conditions that are increasingly favorable for the bark beetles, leading to their population growth.

Kaisa Junninen, a specialist in natural conservation at Metsähallitus, explains that while the sight of dead trees may seem dramatic, tree mortality is a natural process. “We hope that dead wood will develop in protected areas, as it provides habitats for various species. We’re not particularly concerned, but rather watch with interest what happens,” Junninen says.

Visitors to the park need not worry. Junninen notes that standing dead trees do not pose a risk to hikers. Trees without branches or needles are less likely to fall due to snow or storms. However, if a dead tree has fallen or poses a threat to trails, it may be removed, with careful consideration given to the removal of any tree at risk of falling near pathways.

While bark beetles are present in other Finnish national parks, such as Nuuksio and southern Sipoonkorpi, their populations there are not as extensive as in Koli.

Preventing tree deaths caused by bark beetles is deemed impossible. “The scale of bark beetle activity in Koli is such that the only solution is to address climate change,” Junninen asserts. Trial mitigation measures in commercial forests, such as pheromone traps and clear-cutting, have also failed to contain the beetles.

The future transformation of the Koli national landscape remains uncertain. “The forest changes and lives its own life. Time will tell how,” Junninen concludes.