Germany\u2019s sawmilling sector is calling for urgent action to expand beetle-damaged spruce timber storage capacities across the nation.<\/p>\n
The German Sawmill and Timber Industry Association made the call following the publication of new recommendations for the storage and utilization for beetle damaged spruce timber. Research shows that hundreds of thousands of hectares of German spruce forest have been damaged by the spruce bark beetle, costing the industry significant sums.<\/p>\n
The Agency for Renewable Resources collaborative project NUKAFI (Investigations into the Material Utilization Potential and Storage Options for Spruce Damaged Timber) found that properly treated damaged timber remains available as a raw material for extended periods.<\/p>\n
Its new guidelines \u201cHandling Spruce Damaged Timber\u201d offers forest owners, forestry companies, and wood-processing businesses expert recommendations for practical application.<\/p>\n
NUKAFI found that severely damaged trees, so-called deadwood stands, can remain in the forest for a certain time, depending on the weather. After about two years, however, the processing options for the sawmill and timber industry become severely limited due to declining quality and significant disruptions in production.<\/p>\n
The storage options described can help to stagger timber harvesting, marketing, and processing, and ensure the preservation of wood quality over a longer period. At the same time, the guideline clearly identifies the limitations and risks of the methods, for example, with regard to occupational safety, potential quality losses, and increased demands on logistics and control.<\/p>\n
DeSH says the technical solutions presented are only one part of a comprehensive concept. Julia M\u00f6bus, Managing Director of the DeSH, also emphasizes the urgent need for action regarding the framework conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cScience has shown the way \u2013 now it\u2019s up to policymakers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to expand storage capacities nationwide. The federal government, states, and municipalities must work together and develop a joint action plan for disaster management.\u201d<\/p>\n
DeSH says the central question is how to efficiently utilize the large quantities of damaged timber. The storage of damaged timber is of particular importance, as it has a decisive influence on wood quality, usability, and processing.<\/p>\n
Damaged timber, sawn timber, firewood: This is how the timber harvest in 2025 turned out<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2025, 57.3 million cubic meters of timber were harvested in Germany's forests. This represents a 6.4% decrease compared to the previous year. For the fifth consecutive year, the Federal Statistical Office has reported a significant decrease in the harvest of damaged timber (-53.7% to 12.7 million cubic meters). Its share of the total timber harvest fell to 22.1%. In 2020, it still accounted for almost three-quarters (74.8%) of the total, at more than 60 million cubic meters.<\/p>\n Insect infestation remained the most significant cause of damaged timber volume last year as well. 7.9 million cubic meters of damaged timber due to insect damage were harvested. This was also roughly half (53.1%) less than in 2024 and more than four-fifths (81.8%) less than in the record year for damaged timber harvesting in 2020 (43.3 million cubic meters).<\/p>\n Forced harvesting due to drought and storm is also declining<\/strong><\/p>\n Other significant causes of damaged timber harvesting were drought and windthrow. However, these categories also showed significant declines compared to the previous year: Damaged timber harvesting due to drought fell by 27.7% from 2.5 million cubic meters in 2024 to 1.8 million cubic meters. Damaged timber harvesting caused by storms fell from 3.5 million cubic meters in the previous year to 1.2 million cubic meters \u2013 a decrease of 66.7%.<\/p>\n In 2023, over half of the timber harvest still consisted of damaged timber, but the quantity was significantly reduced.<\/p>\n 14.3% less spruce wood harvested<\/strong><\/p>\n The harvest of spruce, fir, Douglas fir, and other softwoods decreased by 14.3% to 32.4 million cubic meters. Spruce remained the most readily available wood species, although its stock is gradually declining. Pine and larch followed at a considerable distance in 2025 with 13.2 million cubic meters, and beech and other hardwoods with 9.9 million cubic meters. Oak and red oak accounted for 1.9 million cubic meters of harvested timber.<\/p>\n Roughly half goes to sawmills<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2025, the sawmill industry remained the main consumer of German timber, with 32 million cubic meters (55.9%). 11.8 million cubic meters (20.6%) were supplied as industrial timber for the wood-based materials industry and the pulp and paper industry. 10.7 million cubic meters (18.7%) were used for energy production.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98469,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n