Due to massive bark beetle infestation and gloomy market prospects, Bayerische Staatsforsten (BaySF) is reducing its felling of fresh coniferous timber.

The Bavarian State Forestry (BaySF) is reducing its felling of fresh coniferous timber by 600,000 cubic metres in the current 2024 financial year (1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024). This corresponds to a reduction of the previously planned felling of fresh coniferous timber by around 20 %. This results in a remaining fresh coniferous wood supply of 2.4 million cubic metres.

Bark beetle and "economic skid marks
According to the company, the reasons for the reduction in fresh wood felling are, on the one hand, the higher bark beetle quantities mainly in northern Bavaria and, on the other hand, the restrained demand for fresh coniferous wood.

"The economic slowdown, especially in the construction industry in Germany, is also affecting the demand for timber. The State Forests are now reacting to this by reducing the supply of fresh spruce and pine," said a spokesperson for the company.