The bark beetle-infested plot in Andenne has been reforested

Let’s think about tomorrow’s forests

Since 2018, spruce, an iconic conifer of our forests and timber industry, has been experiencing a large-scale health crisis. Thousands of hectares are dying here and across Europe.

The cause? The bark beetle . This spruce-specific beetle is one of the biggest European forest pests. To combat it, it is crucial to remove affected trees. Now, add to this pest drought episodes, as well as winter storms.

As a result of this context, there is a fragility of forest stands and discouragement among many foresters, who often give up investing in the reforestation of their plots.

The SRFB partners with PlantC to support the reforestation of plots that have suffered a climatic or biological hazard, impacting the Belgian timber industry. The planting project helps make the forest ecosystem more resilient and resistant to hazards. The approach incorporates several species adapted to local conditions in a changing climate.

This project is carried out in partnership with the Royal Forestry Society of Belgium.

A plantation thoughtfully planned and sustainably managed

Here, in Andenne, 6 deciduous and coniferous species are planted across 1.45 hectares: birch, sessile oak, wild cherry, black walnut, chestnut, poplar. In total, 1,585 trees have been planted with the help of PlantC.

These species will replace a spruce monoculture destroyed by the bark beetle. This will guarantee and improve the services provided locally by the forest (biodiversity, water and soil quality). These are species with high biological potential (sessile oak) and beneficial for pollinators and birds (wild cherry). There is also natural regeneration of birches. Finally, these deciduous species have complementary root systems.

This involves carbon sequestration estimated at 286 tonnes of CO₂ over 30 years.