What does "integrated pest management" mean in the forest?
Multi-stage approach instead of routine use
Integrated pest management means: first exhausting all other measures that are as environmentally friendly as possible, then - if necessary - intervening in a targeted manner with chemicals. In forestry, such interventions are the exception, not the rule. They are based on precise monitoring and well-founded forecasts.
Precision instead of area
If, for example, caterpillars are threatening to cause massive damage to pine crowns, the helicopter can reach the affected treetops with pinpoint accuracy. The aim is always to use as little area and active ingredient as possible in order to minimize risks for other organisms.
Difference to agriculture
Compared to agriculture, the intervention threshold in forestry is significantly higher. Plant protection in forests is not a seasonal standard, but an individually weighed emergency instrument.