Slovak forests face severe stress from drought and heatwaves

Slovak forests are facing significant stress due to ongoing drought and repeated heatwaves, according to the National Forestry Centre (NLC). The most critical conditions are observed in western and central Slovakia, particularly in mountain ranges such as the Malé Karpaty, Považský Inovec, Tribeč, and Štiavnické vrchy. The situation is most severe on south-facing slopes with shallow soil and areas experiencing significant drops in groundwater levels.

Foresters have reported visible signs of distress, including premature summer yellowing and leaf drop. Among deciduous trees, beech and birch are suffering most, while hornbeam, acacia, and oak are also affected on rocky soils. Among conifers, shallow-rooted species like spruce are dying most rapidly. This decline weakens the trees' natural defenses, increasing the risk of secondary pest infestations, such as bark beetle outbreaks.

The NLC notes that the cumulative effect of drought over several years is depleting the trees' reserves, leading to the death of individual trees and entire forest complexes. This level of crown dieback in beech trees is described as a phenomenon not seen on this scale in recent decades.