Spruce mortality in Kysuce

The issue of dying spruce is currently a hot topic in Central Europe, including Slovakia. Spis-Gemer area, Orava and Kysuce belong to the most affected areas in Slovakia. From various reasons of health worsening of these plants there is an exposure to air pollution and accumulation in the soils in the form of pollutants, global climate changes. From biotic cankers there is particularly larch bark beetle (Ips typographus), as also resulted from carried out research, and wood-destroying bootlace fungus (Armillaria ostoyae). High rainfall and minor average temperatures during the growing season of the year 2010 resulted in the slowdown of development of insect cankers. On the other hand, it led to creation of favourable conditions for spread of wood-destroying fungi. Due to the rapid mortality in the forest the woodlanders neither manage to prevent this process, nor to revitalize or afforest the attacked areas. The financial crisis also contributed significantly in this area, where currently are not enough financial sources to implement collective defense against mortification of spruce forests, extensive afforestation, purchasing of products used to removing wood-destroying complexes, or eliminating the calamity. (authors)