SLU Forest Damage Centre

We produce and collect knowledge and competence for the health of the forest.

We prevent and monitor forest damage

We research, analyze and monitor forest damage in order to equip the Swedish forest against today's and tomorrow's risks of damage. We create and collect knowledge for forest health.

With a focus on responsible forestry, preservation of natural values, and biological diversity, we contribute to sustainable social development under changing climate conditions.

About us

Forest fire and draught

What causes a forest fire? Which forests are most likely to burn? How do the trees and plants cope with the fire and draught? SLU is researching this area.

The SLU Forest Damage Centre's research school trains doctoral students to get a broad competence in forest damages. Here, you can network with industry and authorities. The research school is open to all doctoral students at SLU.

Monitoring of forest damage

We collect data on damage and populations or agents that cause damage in Swedish forest ecosystems. The data contribute important information to the analysis function within the Centre and governmental work.

Caterpillars of sawflies on a pine. Photo.

Analyst function

The analysis function is an important part of the SLU Forest Damage Centre. Our analysts investigate the risk for national outbreaks, compile knowledge and provide support in the event of outbreaks or other incidents.

A woman stands by a birch in the forest. Photo.

Our projects

Here you find our current and previous projects. We have research projects, environmental monitoring project, pilot studies or development projects connected to forest damage.

Forest damage related news from SLU

06 May 2024
It is vital to manage pathogenic fungi in forest nurseries
Increased knowledge about pathogenic fungi in nurseries can improve the measures used to protect the tree seedlings. Therefore, in her doctoral thesis, Rebecca Larsson has studied the occurrence of pathogenic fungi on spruce, pine, and larch seeds; healthy pine needles, as well as fungal spores in the air around the nurseries.
26 April 2024
New camera technology to unveil bark beetle infested spruces at an earlier stage
With advanced drone cameras, researchers can detect European Spruce Bark Beetle infestations earlier and more accurately than ever before. With innovative new camera technology, they now aim to shorten the identification time even more and thus save more forest from attacks.
04 April 2024
More and happier pathogens in warmer Nordic countries
The majority of all known pathogens to global food production will thrive and reproduce faster in a warmer climate. Such generalizations are, however, not necessarily practically useful. A new report from SMHI and SLU estimates at a geographically higher resolution how 80 known plant pathogens are affected by climate change.
27 March 2024
Spruce bark beetle attacks in a time of climate change
Where and when does the spruce bark beetle attack? Petter Öhrn has investigated this as well as the spruce's defense capacity in his doctoral thesis. "It is particularly important for forest owners to find and remove infested trees in June".
15 March 2024
Ancient pine trees tell unexpected tale of ice and fire
Forest fires were more prevalent in the early post glacial forests in northern Sweden than previously anticipated. In unearthing three pines which had been buried for almost 10 000 years in Västerbotten, researchers from Umeå university and SLU found marks from multiple forest fires from a time when the ice sheet was still receding.

More news on forest damage

Calendar

Sunday, 23 June to Saturday, 29 June

2024 IUFRO World Congress
Wednesday, 02 October to Thursday, 03 October

Networking symposium on plant protection and forest damage

Published: 16 May 2024 - Page editor: theres.svensson@slu.se

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