European Bark Beetle Apocalypse Explained

[@andrewbrown6522]

Having major problems in western Canada with pine beetles now. I've tried to tell people its not a beetle problem and they get downright gnarly. Unfortunately whatever the root, the land will suffer.

[@rusle]

I remember that we had a huge problem here in Norway around the eighties with the beetle. In the beginning they cut down trees that was attacked and tried to remove the beetles that way but it was not very efficient The solution that time was to put up traps to catch as many beetles as possible. They were using pheromones to attract the beetles to the traps and it worked.

[@mikkopelto-arvo1364]

Traps are actually not considered cost-effective anymore in population control. Bark beetle populations cannot sustain themselves for years without other disturbances, either easily obtainable nutrition runs out or the natural enemies reproduce in sufficient numbers to combat infestation. Chronic infestation would require several storm events or drought, which was unluckily the case in Norway. It can be argued that traps actually had no significant effect, and population would have declined by itself. BUT: Traps are still important part of entomology and forestry today, to monitor beetle populations in susceptible areas.

[@UntamedScience]

They definitely still do traps to monitor populations. We filmed some on the boarder of Czechia and Germany.

[@shadoweaglebear]

The Duke is 100 percent right. It's more then just a single species monoculture, it is also age and size. Thanks from an arborist.

[@slappy8941]

Then and than are different words with different meanings.

[@GrumblingGrognard]

@@slappy8941 Yep, but "Grammer Nazi" and asshole both have the same meaning no matter where they are used.

[@svensebastian2712]

Yes and probably previously uncommon droughts during the the last summers and a sinking of the groundwater level, because the soil cannot absorb the rain as good as once, because it was compressed by agricultural vehicles or the ground is sealed by tarmac and buildings. So more rain water is directly flowing away without seeping in the ground.

[@KillingDeadThings]

@@GrumblingGrognard Should be grammar.

[@GrumblingGrognard]

@@KillingDeadThings lol!!! LOOK UP "PUN" next time Einstein! MY POINT IS MADE YET AGAIN BY THOSE THAT HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT!!! LOL

[@itsnouse-yourswillbeastill2562]

My grandma owned a Cabin in a dense forest. The road to it you had a diverse tree forest on the left & a mono spruce forest to the right. The contrast in health condition of these opposing forest areas couldn't be more stark. It was like running on the border between the happy woods on the left and the evil dead forest on the right. The spruce trees just looked so sad almost like a graveyard for trees. After 20 years of this grim view they've finally removed these dead trees.

[@evawsee8327]

I still remember the huge worries about the bark beatles in my country, which is Austria. It was in the news all the time and devastating to many people. Nowadays it's so much under control, that we basically don't hear from it again.

[@PhillGraaf]

Such an eye opener, right?! You really did a great work on this one Rob, I’m happy to have contributed to this film and I hope the right people get to see it and take the right decisions. Much love to you and Jonas and of course Jiri

[@tiffanyclark-grove1989]

We have known monoculture planting is bad practice for a LONG time. We keep doing it though. Very frustrating. I love the people that are using goats to clean up the understory in the woods.

[@paulcharpentier7095]

With all respect may I say that the understory is also very important. There has to be a complete system. Its complicated and to much to explain quickly. On my small 120 acres I endeavor ro habs a complete ecosystem. It starts at the forest floor and ends at the top of the tallest tree. I'm also very privileged to have 2 beaver lodges. Some old growth that great grey owls nest in every year. I do not consider myself owner but caretaker for my short span of life that I will have my life

[@tiffanyclark-grove1989]

@@paulcharpentier7095 sure, yes, all areas are different; and require various methods. The goats clear up the excessive kudzu, etc, which allows for the more delicate aspects of the understory to be re-cultivated. Your work sounds great🙂 I meant goats as opposed to burning.

[@thomasnaas2813]

In the USA we replaced clear cut hardwood forests with monocultured douglas fir. In my neck of the woods these groves have been decimated by the douglas fir beetle, weevils, root rot, etc. Factory style monoculture is disastrous for forests and farms and contributes to the overall degradation of the environment through loss of genetic diversity and habitat to the point where the very soil is damaged.

[@Dragonfly383]

Brilliand video, bit sad to see it doesnt have that many views tho. As someone who lives in central czechia, more ppl need to be taught that spruce doesnt even belong here. Their natural habitat is at altitudes few hundered meters higher which definitely doesnt help. 2 years ago after few dry years the beetle finished the work at my local forest and it looks super wierd now. Basicly all the spruce and lot of the pines are dead but still standing. Luckly the oaks, ashes, alders and a few firs survided so I still have a place to go relax with trees

[@MikeOnTheHomestead]

Bark beetles hit me in here South Carolina in 2021. I had a few trees that had fallen in a storm and within days, I heard this very eerie crunching sound coming from the trunks of the downed trees. When i pulled back some of the bark, the gnarliest beetle larva were just munching away. I exposed as much of the bark as I could and then turned my flock of chickens on them and they feasted like never before....we will see how 2022 goes!

[@markpaterson6024]

The decision makers around the world need to start stretching out their time lines of strategies rather than focusing on their own term of office. Short term profit margins rarely are sustainable and end up costing in some form later on.

[@spijkerpoes]

So odd When I went to school in the early 90ties for nature preservation and forestry, this was common knowledge and taught to practitioners. Horizontal and vertical structure, age and species variation, natural rejuvenation.. Dead wood standing and on the ground. It was called 'integrated forest management' or 'plenterbos' After 30 years of practice in the field: yesh old habits die hard. And we have had it hard. Elms spruces ash old oak and old beech, also birch out in the open due to drought and also bleeding canker of horse chestnut in cities.. They are all in a bad way these days. What was it 'supposed' to look like. Well, no one knows, but certainly not monoculture. I fear for what might happen to monoculture animal fodder like corn, soy and beet.. If that goes, a lot will go.. thanks, this was a nice film!

[@cascadiantrekker]

I always wondered why the old growth forest where I live never had the same amount of diseases prevalent in the second growth.

[@richardburguillos3118]

Amazing eye opener. So may pines in California have fallen to the beetles here. It’s so sad seeing so many of these beautiful trees die so quickly.

[@MrTuubster]

Ha! I know it is an autocorrect mistake, but the image of 4 strapping british lads decimating trees with their instruments is kind of hilarious.

[@richardburguillos3118]

@@MrTuubster 😂 fixed… They played until the trees couldn’t take it any longer.

[@gunners6034]

There should be at least several hundred thousand views not 15k for a videos like this! Thank you!

[@Veptis]

I believe the prototypical central European forest is mixed beech. Which will give you multiple levels of moss, bushes and trees. Beautiful production. hope your experience in Europe was great, and not ruined by what you endured after returning.

[@billpetersen298]

In BC Canada. The pine beetle was always kept in check. By an early cold snap in winter, most years. Now, it’s rare, to get the early cold weather. We have lost country sized forests, to the beetles. Then they become a fire hazard, as they dry out, still standing.

[@tomstawinski5542]

Your videos are amazing, these should have thousands more views!!!

[@UntamedScience]

Glad you like them Tom. Thanks for that kind comment. (I tend to agree, but who am I to say.) :)

[@finlarg]

@@UntamedScience I agree wholeheartedly, it's a subject close to my heart. Keep up the good work!

[@UntamedScience]

@@finlarg thanks

[@parrotraiser6541]

Relevant diversity works for economies as well as forests and other ecosystems. The great mistake was taking a model, (standardisation), that works well for industry and applying it to forestry. The less variety, the more fragility, as Taleb has explained. (This does not mean mere tokenism.)

[@lynnwood7205]

The Western United States finds insect infestation blamed for the conifer forests becoming vast stands of matchsticks awaiting ignition. The misunderstanding of the role of fire in the health of the forest has resulted in too many trees per acre to be sustained by the water available. The trees are not able to produce the pitch/resin to fight off the beetles. Drought has accelerated the problem. The regulatory practices which suppressed all forest fires and the parallel banning or lapse of the manual removal of underbrush and slash and thinning have resulted in explosive fuel loads. We are still learning how forests live and and react to cyclical and long term climate change.

[@patrickharlan9586]

When I bought my house here in Norway 21 years ago we had 4 big spruce in the yard. To make the yard more open I pruned the bottom branches, bad move. All of them were taken by beetles in the 8 years after. My pruning stressed the trees and made them vulnerable I had no idea at the time.

[@96Champ994]

We had one spruce tree and my neighbours had 5. They all died last year. Its a shame. But we planted an apple tree in the spot where the spruce was. So there is that. And the wood did not go to waste either. We used it to heat our home.

[@miroslavkolarik5734]

Very detailed insight into the spruce problem in Europe. Thanks

[@gregcrowe8885]

Thank You for reaching out to help

[@pscheidt]

Wonderful video! Will be sharing far and wide.

[@UntamedScience]

Much appreciated! Thank you. :)

[@deadheadliving]

thank ya'll involved,iv just learnt so much about forest

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

A long time ago i studied a 🇬🇧 system of forestry designed to limit a lot of these problems. Its was called the Bradford Hutt system ...its a mixed age mixed species system of forest management ... No clear fell damaging the soil, no monocultures, no single age plantations...for pests to exploit. Its at least 40…50yrs old. And was developed on Dutchie land. You also have the old ways of managing forests for wood and woodland products, as well as farming.

[@robwerth]

This is right on! In the US we also need to continue the trend of smart fire management, including selective thinning and prescribed burns. And, BTW, the bark beetles are a huge problem in North America as well

[@UntamedScience]

Very true! Good call.

[@ciscoB2183]

That was one of the best videos I’ve seen in a long time.

[@EpreTroll]

That tower in the woods looks absolutely terrifying

[@finlarg]

I'd climb up it 👍

[@UntamedScience]

All safe of course. It was wonderfully high though.

[@rvsteve583]

@@finlarg me too..................

[@EpreTroll]

looks like one gust of wind would topple it. so flimsy

[@hypnotourist]

These beetles are a gift. They forced us to rethink and guided us in a more sustainable path. This is a great lesson.

[@danthomas6587]

Great documentary. So diversity is a forrest's strength. I think those are words to live by.

[@austintrousdale2397]

This video was the first layperson-friendly treatment of this specific topic that I’d seen. Much appreciated 👏✌️

[@UntamedScience]

Thank you Austin. That means a lot.

[@saintjackula9615]

Amazing video. It is hard for me to not get seriously depressed at the amount of things we humans do wrong that are SO SO obviously wrong.

[@nenesbeauty4518]

I remember we had a big problem in the early 90s with some kinda beetle in smokies you could hear them the trees when u walked outside and on a windy day it would look like saw dust an pencil shavings every where

[@Ppurk]

Good to finally wake up. We have lost chestnut, elm, and now the ash is under attack. Maples are looking sickly too.

[@UntamedScience]

I hear you. We lost 5 ash on our property this year.

[@incognitotorpedo42]

We have had huge areas of beetle kill in North America. It's depressing to see dead trees as far as the eye can see. I've always heard the explanation that the beetles aren't being killed by winter cold like they used to be, because it no longer gets cold enough in the winter. This is consistent with what I see in the mixed forests in my area. Most of the conifers that used to do well are now dying, due to insufficient cold in the winter. I've never heard monoculture as an explanation for beetle kills. Perhaps the North American and European forests are different?

[@incognitusmaximus2118]

This video needs 6bilion views. Very well done. Much appreciated :)

[@UntamedScience]

Thank you. Much appreciated

[@christopherastbury6644]

This video is interesting in that it's providing further evidence of what we have already known about monocultures. This is not just about trees, it's about the consequences and effects of any monoculture throughout the world. Diversity is rich, while singular is poor.

[@SeaforgedArtifacts]

Also, in the US at least, we need to demand that houses be built out of a diversity of wood. Last I heard, it was illegal to build a home out of anything less than a specific type of pine. Not oak, not ash, but pine. The kleptocracy must be ignored for things to change for the better

[@tonymaciejko7331]

Beautiful revelation in our understanding of how nature functions without man's interference.

[@kyukyu5982]

Ehm... I'm glad these business men have figured this out... But I do feel that your video is underplaying just how long our species has understood these core principles of how to take care of the land. There are many cultures that understood these principles of bio-diversity the most obvious is indigenous peoples across the globe who have practiced these types of land management since the dawn of our species, other examples can be found in Asian culture. What happened was powerful groups of people have decided for all of us how our landscape and culture will be. It has never been because we as a species didn't understand these things. It has always been because powerful groups of men refused to listen to people they did not respect. Let this be a lesson to future generations, take care of your environment but more importantly take care of the people and the diversity of said people. The diversity issue isn't just in plants and animals it is also in us. A severe lack in diversity of people and ideas means we have less knowledge to solve these problems

[@TRDozer1]

Somewhere in an alternate universe: “check out this EPIC human decomposing time lapse on deer-tube!”

[@rabeabrok8323]

Thank you for this balanced short documentary about these challenging happenings here in Europe. It is not only the climate change...this is actually just a smaller part of the problem. Short-term thinking with an eye for money to put it badly, or the socio-economic eye for giving a better life for as many people as possible to put it in a better way (cheaper houses for instance): are the real problematic aspects

[@speakerrob1859]

Wonderful video. I was caught a bit off guard at how much of an emotional response it elicited in me, hearing these caretakers talk about their passion for sustainability.

[@UntamedScience]

Thanks for that note btw. Not sure how I missed it, but it's really nice to see now.

[@PolAdd22]

Outside my city we had a beetle outbreak in our "natural" forest.... We fought it for 5 years but later figured out that it just had too many pine trees (planted because they were drought resistant) the now more "open" forest because of the death of the weakest trees made room and light so many different native trees like ash and oak trees beggan appearing Now the problem is gone and the forest became much more healthy amd sustainable Humans were the problem...the beetles were actually a problem for humans but a solution to the forest

[@syguzman5739]

Thank you for this educational video!

[@lilolmecj]

E en in death the Spruce trees are beautiful. I enjoyed this very much. It is impossible to improve on nature.

[@jackmclane1826]

The situation is exactly the same in Germany. But nothing of this is new. It is pretty much identical to what I heard from a forester 30 years ago when we had the forest topic in primary school and went on a hike in the forests. These large spruce monocultures started after the war. Something quite fast growing was needed to re-forest the wide clear cut regions that were taken for the war effort or as reparations. And it will take some time to recover. Before it was a mix with mostly beeches.

[@joegriffith9585]

Great vids I've watched your wild edibles loved the fact you covered death Camas and in the wildfire vid pointed out that without fire we are allowing crown fires which are far worse but you should do a medicinal and talk about the milk weed " opium lettuce"

[@UntamedScience]

🤟👍

[@brandonsmith3060]

Hügelkultur the dead and dying trees and you’ll carbon capture the trees, build the soil, retain and store water, and kill the bark beetles in the earth swales.

[@Skjaldi]

I moved to CZ from SLO in 2018 and I was quite shocked to see how bad the spruce bark beetle infestation is here.

[@cristianpopescu78]

This Video shod have milions of likes!👍

[@jessicaglayi977]

Where are you from

[@scienceandmatter8739]

This Channel got great Future and unpricable Mountains of Knowledge ! TRIBUTES AND Blessings FROM Stuttgart Germany Europe .....where WE ALMOST löst the Connection to the Signals of EARTH and Spirits of Air,fire,and plants. So lets Go for more CONTENT this IS A New Favorite Channel for me and i Hope i can make the Kids Look at IT.

[@oscarmartinez4772]

Hello from Mexico city. Excelent video.👍

[@UntamedScience]

Thanks Oscar. Hi!

[@mithim99]

And were still planting spruce monocultures here in Sweden ...

[@Tsuchimursu]

If you also threw in some fruit bearing trees and shrubs to the mix, you could collect food from the forest.

[@robynpicknell7801]

Mono-culture forests, no matter where they are in the world, north, South or even the tropics, are an absolute death sentence for bio-diversity and possibly even humanity as a whole. The more diverse a forest, the safer it is from things like the bark beetle and other pests that can invest trees of all kinds. More needs to be done by world governments and local councils to promote diversity within these forests, or the entire lumber industry is doomed and us along with it.

[@MegaRugster]

Or the Czech Republic as everyone else calls it. In Scotland we carry logs that size ourselves.. we don't need horses for that work.

[@carolinegray7510]

It would be interesting to learn the CAUSE of the beech tree die off. As in medicine, treating the symptoms never remedied the sickness. Drought was mentioned. This and other 'anomalous ' weather patterns are affecting the world bringing equally terrible symptoms. Will someone address the additional causes?

[@patrickwingard1927]

id imagine all of the needles would be acidifying the soul too, potentially making it harder to rewild.

[@mellissadalby1402]

If I had enough money, I too would do what Kinskey is doing (but I would do it here in the USA since that is where I live).

[@tenjetu]

Czech Republic: City: Dystopian apartheid, ivermectin banned, people dying, nobody gives a frack.... Lets go to the forest to get some good vibes:

[@karikaila7748]

Here in Estonia is same problem, and one person asked to me invent against those injects, and I did it. Next monday to laboratory make first test.

[@pjg_77]

Nice content, new sub here

[@judysweatman7501]

We lost over 5 acres of pine trees back in the early 80’s.

[@UntamedScience]

Crud. Where in the world were you approximately? We've been looking at these bark beetles all across the US and in Europe (different ones of course).

[@shellbacksclub]

So rings on a tree doesn't necessarily represent age, but ability to grow?

[@Bushtailedwildcat]

This video explained early on that the spruce trees where experiencing drought that meant they where unable to 'produce resin to stop the spruce bark beetle', then made an unsupported case for biodiversity. If the problem is drought then additional irrigation is the answer?! Any ecological role achieved by planting other species in the Forrest will not solve the issue of drought. I am finding the political agenda of this video frustrating.

[@UntamedScience]

If you could water the trees then yes, that would help. Most people can’t water the forest though. Diversity will help as some trees are more drought resistant. No political agenda here other than it seems like the solution is fairly apparent yet there is resistance to changing forest practices.

[@Bushtailedwildcat]

Thank you for replying to my comment as most will ignore or delete it. However, your video has not explained a causal link between species diversity and overcoming drought in the spruce trees. There is neither any correlative data on species number and spruce survival. I am struggling to see any material that you are basing your assertions from. To support your assertions you should have included studies on the water cycle in diverse Forrest and compare them to mono-culture plantations. To be relevant to the title the video aught to be shortened to 2:49 - 4:59. And it is a spruce Apocalypse and not an Apocalypse of the beetle? Henceforth, it appears that this is political i.e. ideological propaganda and not a video based on knowledge.

[@Bushtailedwildcat]

@@UntamedScience Here is a better video on the subject; kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKvdZpSKnb18n6c, they deliver a lot of information and make relevant points based on their information.

[@mikemhz]

This video is not ideological. In biology, species diversity is a good signifier of ecosystem health. Different species provide different ecosystem functions and fill different niches. Variety between different individuals of the same or similar species give a species more resilience to environmental change. The same applies for the ecosystem as a whole. If spruce trees die back due to increased drought, a more drought resistant strain or species will propagate to fill the niche. Also, smaller trees require less water, which explains why different tree heights within the forest would be more resilient to drought. There is also the important matter of pests such as the beetle. In a natural forest you might find two different species of tree always growing adjacent to one another. These pairs will have some complimentary difference; they may flower, fruit, grow/drop their leaves at slightly different times of year in order not to attract the same predators at the same time (e.g. a sudden boom of insects destroying the trees).

[@Bushtailedwildcat]

@@mikemhz You completely missed the point. Here is an example of another conversation; Bushtailedwildcat; Why am I paying taxes when the road I live on is broken? It is covered in pot holes! BritishColombian; You must pay taxes! They help the local authority by funding our repair work on our roads, pay hospitals, education ... Are you a brainwashed sheep, or have difficulty in understanding what I have written?

[@raphlvlogs271]

that's why traditional hedging is also prone to diseases since they are miniature monocultures.

[@martinm.3952]

I know this already from back in the 90 here in Austria, central Europe.

[@bobdown8043]

Finally an explanation.

[@twothreebravo]

You might say that we're finally able to see the forest for the trees.

[@ashmouse]

Very interesting!

[@96Champ994]

Can confirm. 3/4 of trees in my area in germany are damaged or dead already. Its a catastrophy.

[@newterm]

i discovered myself watching this...

[@beakytwitch7905]

Sitkha Spruce, from planting to harvest, in its concentration camp plantations, is 50 years.

[@DIYbiology-vw6lj]

In my Ukrainian company, we control stem pests quite successfully. True, this is prevention and not “treatment of bark beetles”, which is basically impossible

[@LaineyBug2020]

To be the light at the end of the tunnel... Ooof, I felt that!

[@glocsie3712]

I'm so mad that this only have 1.7k viewers and not 1.7m! 😢😢

[@Jemalacane0]

The problem is not the beetle. It's the lack of tree species diversity.

[@mick2d2]

Mother nature realised that diversity was good and monoculture was bad many eons ago! We're finally cottoning on! 😉

[@super15071]

Seems diversity is usually a key to success. Good stuff.

[@laius6047]

Thw older I get the more interested about forests I'm getting. I'm a carpenter, and always had fascination with wood, maybe it's time to study forestry and get into it.

[@UntamedScience]

The more I make videos with foresters, the more I think that too! 🤓✌️

[@indaputindina5835]

Finaly there is word of hope.thanklot

[@thestrangegreenman]

A monoculture isn't a forest, really. It's more of a tree farm. I'm glad that the Europeans are figuring out how to care for forests. Now we have to get Americans to view forests as something other than 'that stuff we have to clear out of the way to build luxury apartments.'

[@Smokkedandslammed]

It's still not even a Spruce problem, it's a human problem.

[@MrDeadhead1952]

This isn't a beetle problem it's a monoculture/over exploitation problem.

[@martingraf2075]

So is isn't a spruce problem, is it a management problem. So the problem of monocultures is also with eucalytus and other tree species.

[@1425363878]

German solution to the bark beetle: pay billions in tax dollars to forest owners. That's not a joke.

[@Rick-md7tf]

Do you think that the Geo engineering being sprayed all the UN countrys is changing the p/h of the soil? Which is bring the uptake of nutrients down. Which is making the trees vulnerable to disease? Makes to much since to me.

[@scienceandmatter8739]

I Just Wish WE all get Back to being Human Spirit not human robotics ....

[@asiatownsend830]

bark beetles? i thought it was about Blake Bortels

[@arany5123]

Lack of biodiversity.

[@nahbetternot]

its a spruce problem - repeated 4 times. YOu can get all the info from this video by starting at the 12 minute mark

[@thilomasonry]

Sounds like forest lands managed in the States, revolutionary

[@The-Dom]

British Columbia, Canada has had a Pine Beetle infestation much worse for 20 years or more.

[@HotZetiGer]

Little rising hood beetle Hansel beetle Gretel beetle

[@Ixquick979]

I learned about forest mono culture being band because it enables pest to spreading more easily in elementary school, this is nothing new.

[@oldogre5999]

So, what your saying is that you are JUST NOW learning what the native peoples all over earth have know since the beginning of time when speaking of the Earth and IT'S requirements to flourish?

[@Jari_Leandertaler]

Why not let the forest just die out on it's own? Let the trees collapse and maybe other more resistant species will take their place. Removing those tree's is an attack to nutrients in the soil . You remove 95 per cent of wood. I highly doubt that is a good for the cycle of a forest...

[@MrToradragon]

1) Forests here are mostly planted for wood production and logging of those trees will help to cover at least part of those loses. 2) Those are no wild forests and are frequented by people, there are roads leading through them and letting dead trees just stand there would sooner or later result in some deaths.

[@Jari_Leandertaler]

@@MrToradragon You talk about losses? I think leaving nature alone for a part wil prevent more loss in the future. And I also think removing those trees wil result in to more deaths in the future..The odds of them being a risk and falling down on a person is so low. If there is a higher chance just cut doen the tree and let it rot. You should take into consideration the future to not only the present with your choices and way of thinking.

[@The_Savage_Wombat]

I don't think it was the bark beetles. The trees were planted too close together. Besides, I didn't hear any barking at all when they walked through the forest.