Voles have been blamed for record damage in sapling stands in southern Finland, according to the Nordic Forest Owners’ Association.
Preliminary estimates indicate that there are tens of thousands of hectares of damaged sapling stands, of which 18,000ha have been totally destroyed – and therefore entitled to subsidies.
However, the number of sapling stands which have suffered less extensive damage, and are therefore not entitled to subsidies, is estimated to be many times larger.
Fluctuations in vole population have led experts to predict that, despite a couple of years’ respite, vole populations in southern Finland will peak again in autumn 2011, with the most extensive damage predicted for the winter of 2011-2012.
