The Spruce Bark Beetle and Drones

Increasing Challenges with the European Spruce Bark Beetle in Sweden

The spruce bark beetle destroys several million cubic metres of spruce forest in Sweden every year. For forest owners, this means large monetary losses of several billion.¹

In addition, the damage caused by the spruce bark beetle is expected to increase in large parts of Europe in the future.²

The best way to prevent the spread of the spruce bark beetle is to harvest and remove infested trees from the stand, but it is estimated that over 75 % damaged forest is left behind. Detection and response are often delayed because forest owners do not have sufficient capacity to manage the infestation.³

More effective inventory methods lead to faster action, a healthier forest with better carbon storage and a secured asset for high-quality timber.

Source: 1.SVT (2021) 2.SLU (2021) 3.ATL (2020)

Detecting Outbreaks in a Timely Manner

Drones have proven to be highly effective in quickly detecting spruce bark beetle outbreaks. One of the major benefits of using drones is the significant time saved in identifying established outbreaks, which in turn allows for better prediction of potential new outbreaks in the surrounding area. This enables forest managers to focus their efforts on areas where damage is more likely to occur.¹

When a tree is infested with the spruce bark beetle, its timber quality may be downgraded due to the marks left by the beetle. In some cases, the tree may be so severely damaged that it is only suitable for pulpwood.

While smaller forested properties can be surveyed on foot within a relatively short time frame, larger properties exceeding 100 hectares can be surveyed much more efficiently using drones.

Source: 1.Swedish Forest Agency, SLU (2022)

We can help out

Copture is one of Sweden’s most experienced drone companies, with over 12 years of industry expertise. The company use professional drone pilots and interpreters who are equipped to analyze and identify spruce bark beetle outbreaks as well as other forest-related challenges such as winter damage and windfall that in turn contribute to the spread of the beetle.

The images captured by the drones are analyzed to provide detailed insights that can be delivered in a variety of formats, tailored to the specific needs of our customers. This enables prompt action to be taken to prevent the spread of the beetle and mitigate the potential economic losses for forest owners.

Copture’s expertise in forest management has made it a trusted partner for forest owners in Sweden, helping them to safeguard their forests and improve their overall health and productivity.

Our Advantages

Few large areas analysed in a short time
Scalable - we can quickly expand capacity to meet your needs
Affordable in terms of price per hectare and ROI
All our professional interpreters have a solid forestry education.
Copture performs assignments throughout Sweden