Mice predation expected in Saxony's forests

The state-owned enterprise Sachsenforst expects significant feeding damage by mice in parts of Saxony during the winter half-year. "Due to this year's weather, which in conjunction with the more or less regular precipitation has had a positive effect on the ground vegetation in particular, the development conditions for the mice populations were quite favorable," a spokesman told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur in response to an inquiry. So far, the Saxony Forest has only data for the northwest Saxon lowlands and hills.

The increase in the mouse population has been promoted by the many open spaces in the forest. In places a clear density increase had become apparent. Accordingly, the density of mice was above the critical value on four of six tested areas. Forestry experts assume that there will be a further increase. However, the state enterprise can communicate more precise information only when the monitoring results for September and October are available.

The Thuringian State Forestry Agency had previously appealed to forest owners on Wednesday to regularly control the mouse population in the forests. Especially short-tailed mice could cause major feeding damage. "They are all too happy to gnaw the bark of young, small deciduous trees close to the ground, and even the roots are not spared. As a result, the small trees often die," Thüringenforst announced. Especially for the young forests, which developed on the climate-induced damaged areas in the forest, this is problematic, it said from the neighboring country.