> Michael Müller, the Chair of Forest Protection at the Technical University in Dresden, said there are “very strict requirements for the use of pesticides” which can be very effective in getting rid of the bugs, although the chemicals are sometimes frowned upon for their potentially harmful environmental side effects.
but an actually harmful side effect is that the forest is now (more than) half dead.
if you're going to try to "manage" a forest (as if that's really possible), you should actually manage it. Otherwise, let it grow on its own with the widest variety of trees that would normally be there.
The later is whats happening now. They let the nature do its thing.
The bugs are only part of the problem. They are so widespread because it’s gotten to dry there which makes the trees vulnerable.
but an actually harmful side effect is that the forest is now (more than) half dead.
if you're going to try to "manage" a forest (as if that's really possible), you should actually manage it. Otherwise, let it grow on its own with the widest variety of trees that would normally be there.