Numerous insects and fungi are capable of causing damage to spruce and is our tree species with the highest forest protection risk. As a result of climate change the situation will become even more intensified.

Obvious signs of dieback, especially in pines, and caused by Diplodia shoot dieback, are nothing new. Up to now, serious damage has been caused only in warmer regions. Is this likely to change as a result of global warming?

The ALB was first spotted on European soil in 2001. Sightings of infestations have been on the rise since.

The North American robinia (black locust) has many positive, but also many negative characteristics. Today, it has become part of ecosystems and the cultural landscape in many places, so neither free and unlimited cultivation nor widespread active control measures make sense.

The Japanese beetle is heading for Switzerland. In 2017, beetles were caught for the first time in precautionary traps installed along the border with Italy. What measures can be taken to prevent its arrival?

The sooty bark disease infests maple species, is found in Austria and Switzerland, and has now made its way to Germany. What does this mean for the future of the maple?

The goal of the research is to identify the locations that are preferred by I. typographus and thus would be particularly at risk for infestation. To achieve this, the specific characteristics of landing sites are analyzed to determine the preferred stand and terrain structures that are preferred during dispersion.

The wilting of shoots and trunk necrosis – the cause of these symptoms in the sycamore is a fungus called Verticillium dahliae. A project was set up to find out where it occurs and whether drought stress favours its development.

In June 2017, the zigzag elm sawfly, an invasive species originating in East Asia, was found in Switzerland for the first time, in wych elms in the Canton of Zurich. It has been spreading across Europe since 2003.

Large parts of Europe have been affected by Ash dieback which resulted in massive tree mortality. So what can be learned from the prevention strategies in the countries where this disease has long been ravaging countless forests?