Development of effective and close-to-nature regulation and eradication methods as a requirement for a sustainable and future-compliant forest management

The ReBek project is comprised of two sub projects (SP). SP 1 aims at developing alternative eradication methods in the form of novel weevil and bark beetle traps that use little to no pesticides as well as mass trapping lures, which are able to locally and temporarily reduce the population densities of the target insects in a way that secures the economic and ecological objectives of the forest owners. The focus of SP 2 is the development of close-to-nature, pesticide-free regulation methods for bark beetles. Non-habitat volatiles will be identified by volatile suctions and testing the recorded substances in the field using traps and trap logs. These volatiles will allow for the chemical masking of objects that are at risk of bark beetle colonization and will pretend an unsuitable habitat for the target species.