A total of 61.2 million cubic metres of timber were logged in German forests in the calendar year of 2024. Damaged trees accounted for 27.3 million cubic metres. After the record year of 2020 when 60.1 million cubic metres of damaged timber had been logged, the amount logged decreased for the fourth time in a row (by 11.4 million cubic metres, or 29.4%, compared with 2023).
Insects continued to be the main causes for logging in the case of damaged timber. The amount of timber damaged by insects decreased by 38.3% to 16.8 million cubic metres in 2024 year on year. In 2020, the amount of timber logged because of insect infestation had been 43.3 million cubic metres, a record high since German reunification.