How European Union accession and implementation of obligatory integrated pest management influenced forest protection against harmful insects: A case study from Poland

An analysis of the impact of European Union accession and obligatory integrated pest management implementation on the chemical protection of Polish forest against insect pests was performed. A very strong influence on the availability of plant protection products due to the legal changes and implementation of common registration rules was observed. It is difficult to perceive any clear impact of obligatory integrated pest management implementation on forest protection against harmful insects so far. The paper presents data on the use of insecticides in Polish forests from 1997 to 2017 divided into three treatment groups: soil applications, ground treatments and aerial spraying. In 2001, the total area treated with chemical insecticides was the highest and amounted to 170 thousand hectares (or approximately 1.8% of Polish forests area), while the total area treated with chemicals was the lowest in 2010, amounting to below 5 thousand hectares (or approximately 0.05% of Polish forests area).