A report on the impact of the storm by the Finnish-based organisation calculates that Kyrill felled around 45 million m3 of timber across 13 countries when it hit on January 17 and 18.
The worst affected were Germany, where 25 million m3 was brought down (20% of annual harvest) and the Czech Republic, where 10 million m3 was felled (65% of annual cut).
In Poland the figure was 2.5 millon m3, Austria 2.25 million m3, Latvia 500,000m3, Slovakia 330,000m3 Lithuania 300,000m3, Belgium 220,000m3, France 200,000m3, the Netherlands 180,000m3, Romania 130,000m3 and the UK 50,000m3.
According to the EFI, the storm also affected Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine, but none of these countries reported significant wind throw.
The Institute said that overall Kyrill did not do as much damage as storm Lothar in 1999, but in particularly regions the effects were similar.
Non-native tree species suffered greatest casualties due to their lack of site adaptation and, said the EFI, this presented lessons for future planting policy.
“We know that non site-adapted species do not fare well in storm situations and that the largest proportion of storm-felled timber stocks are softwood species, in particular spruce,” stated the report.
“With this in mind, now is the time to seriously consider a cross-border [co-operation in ] restocking areas vulnerable to wind throw with site-adapted hardwood species.”
