After spending 52 days hiking and mountaineering in the Dolomites this past summer, I encountered a troubling reality: the forests are struggling. Entire swaths of spruce and larch stand dead, needles gray and brown, and trunks riddled with bore holes.
Vast areas cleared after the 2018 Storm Vaia remain barren, with no natural regrowth of trees despite years passing. As someone born in the mountains, where I have seen forests rebound naturally after disturbance, this was jarring.
The photos I took capture the stark contrast: skeletal stands next to bare slopes where lush woods once thrived.
Talking to locals, guides, hut keepers, and foresters, and doing search online, revealed an incredible cascade of events:
- It started with a brutal cold 2017/2018 winter.
- Then came hot and dry summer of 2018.
- Then Vaia storm happened.
- This was followed by bark beetle infestations.
- Blue-stain fungi came naturally.
- In addition, there is soil degradation that is stifling recovery.
- This all on the background of climate change and longer warm seasons in the recent years, that allow for 3-4 beetle generations annually.
As you realize, this is a true recipe for an environmental disaster, with consequences that will last for decades.
Drawing on those insights, along with reports from the European Forest Institute, University of Padua studies, and regional forestry data, this article unpacks the interconnected crises threatening the Dolomites’ forests and explores whether there is hope for these iconic landscapes.
For hikers and mountaineers, this isn’t just an ecological issue, it is changing the trails we love. Let’s walk through what is happening and what lies ahead.
The Scene on the Ground: A Hiker’s View of a Changing Dolomites
My 52-day journey took me across the Dolomites’ rugged beauty, limestone spires of the Sella Group, serene valleys like Ansiei, and iconic spots like Val di Vajolet, Lagorai, and Pale San Martino (my photo below).
But the forests, typically a vibrant frame for these peaks, told a different story. In mid-elevation zones (1500-2000 meters), I saw patches of dead spruce and larch (like in the photos above), their reddish-brown needles littering trails.
Tiny bore holes and sawdust-like frass signaled bark beetles. Who would say that a 5-millimeter creature can create such a damage?
Elsewhere, vast cleared areas from post-Vaia salvage operations stood out, open slopes with exposed soil, minimal grass, and no young trees.
My photos from Lagorai show these barren zones beside intact forest edges, yet no saplings bridge the gap, defying my mountain-born expectation of natural regeneration within years.
These changes hit hard. Forests provide shade, stabilize trails, and support wildlife like chamois that enliven hikes. Dead stands increase risks of falling branches on routes, while cleared areas expose hikers to sun and erosion gullies.
Locals shared consistent explanations: a devastating 2018 winter weakened trees, beetles capitalized, fungi accelerated the decline, and soil damage from storm and cleanup halted regrowth.
To understand the full scope, I dug into reliable sources, confirming a chain reaction amplified by climate shifts.
The Trigger: A Harsh 2017/2018 Winter That Weakened the Forests
The story begins with the 2017-2018 winter, a record-breaking cold snap that locals still recall vividly. January and February brought prolonged temperatures as low as -20°C across the Dolomites, far below norms, per Italian Air Force meteorological data.
Spruce and larch, dominant in these forests, suffered frost damage to roots and vascular tissues, especially without insulating snow cover. The cold pierced their defenses; by spring, they were already weak.
A Forest Ecology and Management study notes such extreme cold reduces tree resilience, impairing water and nutrient uptake. The subsequent hot, dry summer of 2018 worsened the stress, setting the stage for pests.
Then came Storm Vaia in October 2018, a hurricane-force event with 200 km/h winds that felled 8.6 million cubic meters of timber across 42000 hectares. The photo below (from Magnifica Comunita di Fiemme) shows the level of distruction that happened those days.
The storm’s windthrow, trees uprooted en masse, ripped up soil, depleting seed banks and organic layers critical for regeneration. This double blow left forests vulnerable, particularly spruce monocultures planted for timber, which lack the diversity to recover quickly.
The Invasion: Bark Beetles Exploit the Damage
Weakened trees were perfect targets for the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus). These 5 mm pests bore into bark to lay eggs, with larvae disrupting nutrient flow and girdling trees.
Healthy spruces resist with resin, but post-2018 stress left them defenseless. Vaia’s fallen logs became beetle breeding grounds, boosting populations exponentially.
A 2024 Annals of Forest Science study reports that milder winters and longer warm seasons now allow 3-4 beetle generations annually, up from 1-2 historically, fueled by climate change.
In the eastern Dolomites around Belluno, 20-30% of spruce stands show beetle damage, per Veneto Region forestry data. The beetles smelled weakness and took over.
My hikes revealed the signs: reddish frass at tree bases and pitch tubes on trunks, especially in Lagorai, Latemar, and Marmarole area.
The Silent Killer: Blue-Stain Fungi Deepen the Crisis
The “blue inside” locals mentioned is the work of blue-stain fungi like Endoconidiophora polonica, carried by beetles. As larvae tunnel, fungi spread, clogging water-conducting xylem and staining wood blue-gray, hastening tree death.
A Frontiers in Plant Science study details this symbiosis: fungi feed larvae, while beetles spread spores, creating a deadly feedback loop.
In infested spruce, split logs reveal this discoloration, ruining timber value and signaling advanced decay. Bacteria play a minor role, aiding fungal growth, but fungi drive the blue stain.
Logs with the blue stain (the photo below) have no value in the furniture industry. Note that this particular photo is from a completely different area in Germany. But planks made from such logs can still be used for construction works, etc.
But from what I have seen, my impression is that not so many logs in the Dolomites are really with the blue stain. I have seen plenty of them cut and ready for transportation, and it looked to me that the wood could still be used for various purposes. Though, it is possible that such logs were already separated and discarted.
The point is that the issue related to the bark beetle has always been there throughout the Alps, though in the Dolomites, due to several reasons mentioned above, this has resulted in a true disaster.
Why No Regrowth? Soil Degradation in Cleared Areas
The most surprising observation was the lack of natural regeneration in Vaia-cleared areas, the photo below. In my home mountains, disturbed sites sprout pioneer species like birch within years, but in the Dolomites, cleared slopes remain barren.
My photos capture these moonscapes, exposed, rocky soil with sparse grass, no saplings despite nearby forest seed sources, just see my photo below.
Locals pointed to soil issues, and research backs this up. The Dolomites’ thin, calcareous rendzina soils, derived from limestone, have low nutrient and water retention.
Vaia’s uprooting inverted topsoil, stripping organic humus and seed banks. A 2023 Plants study found post-Vaia soils with altered pH and 40-60% less organic matter, unsuitable for conifer seedlings.
Salvage logging worsened this. Heavy machinery compacted soil, reducing porosity and water infiltration by up to 30%, per Annals of Forest Science.
Removing deadwood eliminated “biological legacies” like logs that retain moisture and provide seedling microsites. Unsalvaged sites show 2-3 times higher regeneration rates, per Frontiers in Forests and Global Change.
Erosion from intense rains and dry summers further degrades these sites, locking nutrients like phosphorus in alkaline soils.
The soil has lost its life; it is just rock now. This explains the barrenness in my images, without intervention, these slopes can’t support the regrowth I would expect.
Impacts on Hikers and the Alpine Ecosystem
This crisis reshapes the Dolomites for outdoor enthusiasts. Dead forests mean hotter, less shaded trails and increased risks of falling snags on routes.
Cleared areas expose hikers to erosion-prone terrain, with gullies complicating approaches to via ferratas. Wildlife habitats suffer, reducing sightings of birds and mammals.
You can see a bit more in my video below, there is an area with trees cut down but not removed, it is at 1:37 time mark:
Economically, tourism and timber industries face losses, and climate change, driving warmer beetle-friendly winters and extreme storms, amplifies the threat, per IPCC reports. For mountaineers, unstable slopes from dead roots pose new hazards on alpine routes.
The Human Connection: How the Dolomites’ Forests Fuel Iconic Pianos
As I wandered the trails of Val di Fiemme and nearby Paneveggio (see the map below) during my 52-day stay, the dying woods took on added significance when I recalled a fact from my memory.
The Dolomites have long been a vital source of premium resonance spruce for musical instruments, particularly piano soundboards and violins.
In fact, above Paneveggio high in the mountains on the left side of the road to Passo Vales, there is a violin museum, practically in the middle of nowhere. The museum building is a part of the Visitor Centre at the Paneveggio Pale di San Martino Nature Park.
It is dedicated to the famous “Violins’ Forest” and its “singing” or “resonance” spruce trees, known for being the source of wood for instruments like the Stradivarius violin.
This “resonance wood”, light, elastic, and with tight growth rings from the slow-growing alpine spruces, has been prized for centuries. Companies like Ciresa still harvest selectively from these forests, supplying wood to renowned makers.
Two famous piano brands, Fazioli and Bösendorfer, have deep ties to Dolomites spruce, sourcing it exclusively or preferentially for their high-end instruments. This connection elevates the ecological crisis: the same forests ravaged by the 2018 events are the lifeblood of these luxury pianos, whose soundboards rely on the unique acoustic properties of this wood.
Drawing from reports by the European Forest Institute and industry sources like CBS News and Atlas Obscura, here’s how this human element intertwines with the environmental story.
Fazioli Pianoforti, founded in 1981 by engineer and pianist Luca Fazioli in Sacile, Italy, is renowned for its handcrafted grand pianos, producing fewer than 150 annually to maintain artisanal quality.
The brand exclusively uses red spruce (Picea abies) from the Italian Alps, specifically the Val di Fiemme in the Dolomites, marked in the map below, for its soundboards, the vibrating heart of the piano that amplifies tone.
This wood, harvested from high-altitude slopes (1400-1800 meters) where trees grow slowly in mineral-poor, rocky soil, yields the lightness and uniformity essential for the Fazioli’s signature bright, operatic clarity.
As noted in a 2021 CBS News report, Ciresa, a key supplier in the region, provides this “resonance wood” directly to Fazioli, ensuring logs are selected for straight grain, minimal knots, and no mold, qualities that allow the soundboard to resonate purely across the piano’s range.
But see more in this video, and remember, the wood for these pianos comes from the devastated forest shown in the photos above:
Fazioli’s commitment is absolute: no substitutes, as the Dolomites’ spruce imparts a distinctive warmth and projection that has earned endorsements from virtuosos like Lazar Berman.
With prices starting at €100000, these pianos embody the forests’ legacy, but the 2018 cold snap and Vaia storm have threatened supplies, forcing selective harvesting amid beetle-damaged stands.
Bösendorfer, Austria’s oldest surviving piano manufacturer founded in 1828 by Ignaz Bösendorfer in Vienna, also draws exclusively from Dolomites spruce for its soundboards.
While the brand is Austrian, it sources its premium red spruce from the Paneveggio Forest in the Dolomites, known as the “Forest of Violins” since Stradivari’s era, for its concert grands, like the renowned Imperial model with its extended 97 keys.
Unfortunately, my two photos given above, and the photo below from my another tour, are exactly from that area of duying woods.
This Dolomites wood, managed by the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, is chosen for its superior elasticity and density, contributing to the Bösendorfer’s legendary “Viennese sound”, warm, resonant, and singing.
According to historical records and supplier insights from the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Nature Park, Bösendorfer has relied on this source for decades, with logs certified for uniform growth rings that enhance harmonic richness.
A Coach House Pianos profile highlights how the spruce is harvested in winter and naturally dried, taking up to six years per piano to ensure the wood’s full acoustic potential.
This exclusive reliance underscores Bösendorfer’s pursuit of perfection, each instrument is a masterpiece, but the ongoing dieback and soil degradation in these areas risk disrupting this tradition, potentially affecting the brand’s ability to maintain its tonal standards.
This reliance on Dolomites spruce isn’t just about craftsmanship; it is a cultural thread linking the mountains to global concert halls. The Paneveggio and Val di Fiemme forests, part of UNESCO-protected zones, have supplied wood for instruments since the Renaissance, with the community’s strict oversight ensuring sustainability, until recent crises.
The 2018 events have felled prime trees and infested others, raising concerns for suppliers like Ciresa, who report reduced yields of high-quality logs.
For piano enthusiasts and makers, this means potential shifts to alternative sources, but the unique vibrational qualities of Dolomites spruce are irreplaceable, as echoed in studies from the University of Padua on resonance properties.
As a hiker who values these woods beyond trails, learning this deepened my appreciation, and urgency, for conservation. If the forests rebound through restoration efforts, so too will the music they inspire.
Is There Hope? Restoration Efforts and Signs of Resilience
Despite the grim scene, there is real hope. Natural regeneration is occurring in less disturbed areas, with pioneer species like birch appearing in 10-20% of Vaia sites, per University of Padua data.
Active restoration is scaling up: VAIA Wood has planted over 100000 mixed native trees since 2019, improving soil structure.
Luxottica’s Agordo project, the largest private effort, has restored 30+ hectares with organic amendments, boosting seedling survival by 50%.
WOWnature in Alta Badia uses local mulch to enhance fertility and curb erosion. The LIFE VAIA project promotes agroforestry, while Climate-KIC pushes climate-resilient planting.
Management shifts also help: leaving more deadwood, using low-impact logging like cable yarding, and adding mycorrhizal inoculants revive soil microbes. These efforts could restore forests within 20-50 years, though some areas may shift to open woodlands with diverse species better suited to a warming climate.
My photo below of young stands near protected sites show this promise, green shoots amid the scars.
Final Thoughts
The Dolomites’ forests face a dual crisis: a 2018 cold snap and Vaia unleashed beetles and fungi, killing trees, while soil degradation in cleared areas stalls natural regrowth. Yet, with robust restoration and nature’s resilience, recovery is underway.
For hikers, this means adapting to changing trails, stick to marked paths, watch for hazards, and consider volunteering with projects like VAIA.
My 52 days immersed in these mountains left me awed but concerned, a reminder to tread lightly. If you have seen similar changes or joined restoration efforts, share in the comments. Check my other posts for tips on navigating the Dolomites evolving landscapes.
Please join us at our Facebook group Dolomites Visitors Hub.
FAQs
What caused the extensive forest dieback in the Dolomites after 2018?
The dieback began with a severe 2017-2018 winter that weakened spruce and larch trees, followed by Storm Vaia in October 2018, which felled millions of trees. This created ideal conditions for bark beetle infestations, exacerbated by blue-stain fungi that hastened tree death. Climate change, with longer warm seasons, has allowed beetles to produce multiple generations annually, intensifying the damage.
Why aren’t the cleared areas in the Dolomites regenerating naturally?
Post-Vaia salvage logging and the storm’s upheaval stripped away nutrient-rich topsoil and seed banks, leaving behind compacted, degraded soil with poor water retention. The Dolomites’ limestone-based soils are naturally thin and nutrient-poor, and heavy machinery used in cleanup further reduced soil porosity, hindering seedling growth. Without intervention, these areas struggle to support new trees.
How are the dying forests affecting the Dolomites’ piano industry?
The Dolomites’ spruce, particularly from Val di Fiemme and Paneveggio, is critical for crafting high-quality piano soundboards for brands like Fazioli and Bösendorfer. The 2018 crisis reduced the availability of premium resonance wood due to beetle damage and tree loss, threatening the supply chain. Restoration efforts are vital to preserve this cultural and economic legacy.
What can hikers do to support the Dolomites’ forest recovery?
Hikers can help by sticking to marked trails to avoid further soil disturbance, reporting hazards like unstable trees, and volunteering with restoration projects like VAIA Wood or WOWnature. Supporting local initiatives through donations or participating in tree-planting programs can also contribute to long-term forest recovery.
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