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SLU Forest Damage Centre

We produce knowledge to protect forests against forest damage and analyse the risks and consequences of forest damage.

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Illustrations on SLU Forest DAmage Centre's research areas.

Preventing and monitoring forest damage

Climate change is expected to increase the incidence of several different types of forest damage. In addition, grazing damage caused by ungulates remains at excessively high levels. Both affect the growth of the forest and biological diversity.

The SLU Forest Damage Center works to prevent and monitor forest damage caused by a wide range of pests. The center is virtual and gathers SLU's research and environmental analysis around forest damage.

SLU's knowledgebank on forests

Research School

The SLU Forest Damage Center'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.

Shoes on a stone in the forest. Photo.

Monitoring of forest damage

We collection 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, but might also be applied within research and be relevant for other 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.

Forest damage related news from SLU

  • 01 June 2023

    Forest damage course gave new insights into pests and risks

    Some persons are walking in the forest. Photo. Arming the forest against forest damage and being able to analyze the risks and consequences of the damage is important, especially in a warmer climate. During March to May, the first of three PhD courses was organised by SLU Forest Damage Centre to train future researchers in the subject.
  • 16 May 2023

    Diplodia tip blight – a new serious pine disease

    A woman by a tree crown. Photo. Diplodia sapinea is a globally distributed pathogen, causing stem wounds and dead tree crowns on pines. In 2016 a whole Scots pine plantation infected with this pathogen was discovered in for the first time Sweden. Laura Brodde has investigated the establishment and spread of Diplodia tip blight in Sweden to increase our knowledge and opportunities to combat the disease.
  • 05 May 2023

    Assessing the detectability of European spruce bark beetle

    Drönarbild av infekterade träd, toppvy av träd. Detecting disease- or insect-infested forests as early as possible is a classic application of remote sensing. Under conditions of climate change and global warming, outbreaks of the European spruce bark beetle are threatening spruce forests and the related timber industry across Europe, and early detection of infestations is important for damage control. Those are some findings that researchers at SLU have presented in a paper.
More news on forest damage
Published: 20 April 2023 - Page editor: katja.fedrowitz@slu.se
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