Recent reports highlight significant environmental challenges affecting forests in Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Serbia, the State Audit Institution revealed that the country achieved only 29.1% of its targeted forest cover of 41.4% by 2020. Illegal logging has resulted in the destruction of nearly 88,000 cubic meters of timber, equating to damages of approximately half a billion dinars (around 4.2 million euros).
Severe weather events have also contributed to forest degradation, with two major storms last year damaging poplar crops over 1,500 hectares and oak forests on more than 10,000 hectares in Vojvodina. Professor Milan Medarević noted that strong winds have long-term negative effects on both young and mature trees, with recovery efforts expected to last until 2029.
In southern Serbia, the Kopaonik National Park faces ongoing issues with spruce dieback, first observed in 2012. The damage from spruce tree decline this year is estimated at 12,462 cubic meters. Professor Medarević indicated that the summer drought of 2024 is anticipated to exacerbate heat stress in 2025, weakening tree immunity and facilitating bark beetle infestations.
In Montenegro, where 70% of the territory is forested, officials report that while tree dieback is a concern, forest fires pose the greatest threat. Ranko Kankaraš from the Ministry of Agriculture stated that one-fifth of Montenegro's forests are susceptible to various forms of degradation, primarily affecting young forests. Unlike Serbia, there have been no new diseases reported in Montenegrin forests.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the situation mirrors that of Serbia, with a higher afforestation rate of 53%. Forests are threatened by diseases and pests, as well as droughts and storms. Professor Zoran Govedar emphasized the need for new forests to be more resilient to climate extremes, advocating for the planting of species suited to local conditions to enhance adaptability to climate change.