- Many are appalled. What is damaged may be old forest that has been managed for two generations. Then it is very sad to come out and see it dry and dead, says Anders Jakobsson, area manager in Långasjö for Södra Skog.

When it is hot and dry, as in the summer of 2018, the firs' ability to form a resin decreases, which becomes an excellent impact position for the fir bark drill.

Last year's heat has affected

The insects then cause more trees to attack and lay their eggs, which increases the amount of spruce bark drills. And 2019 looks to be a worse year for forest owners in both Småland, Blekinge and Östergötland.

- The situation we have this year has a lot to do with last year's extreme heat that favored the spruce bark drills and disadvantaged spruces, which got a reduced vitality and became poor at defending themselves. Now we see a further consequence of this, with a very large population of the spruce bark drill, says Magnus Petersson, Head of Care and Entrepreneurial Development at Södra Skog in Växjö.

It is not the fir bark drill itself that kills the fir trees, but a kind of mushroom they bring with them, so-called toad fungi. These fungi stop the flow of water in the Christmas tree, which leads to parts and then even whole trees slowly dry out and die.

The damage could be worse in 2019

In 2018, up to one million cubic meters of forest was damaged for Södra Skog's members. The spruce spruce bark infects the tree, causing the tree to decrease in value. The value decreases as the tree dies.

- Right now, this year looks to be worse than last year. What we have to put on the gun now is to cut down and get as much damaged forest as possible, says Anders Jakobsson.

The amount of forest that has been damaged this year is currently unclear, but Södra Skog will carry out an inventory later this year.