Germany – Amount of timber logged at new record high in 2020 due to forest damage

Timber infested by insects accounted for more than half of the total amount of timber logged

In 2020 a total of 80.4 million cubic metres of timber was logged in German forests. Timber logging reached a new record high: since German unification, the amount of timber logged in Germany has never been higher than in 2020. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that the amount of timber logged again increased by 16.8% compared with the previous record high of 68.9 million cubic metres reached in 2019.

This development was due to increasing forest damage caused by insects, for example, during hot and dry periods. Timber infested by insects accounted for more than half (53.8%) of the total amount of timber logged in 2020.

Source: The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis)  Horticulture and forestry