Controlling the pinewood nematode: Finding the best balance between cost and effectiveness

The pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is the most devastating parasite of pine forests across Eurasia. To combat the pinewood nematode, European regulation requires that Member States clear-cut all susceptible tree species within a 500 meter radius of infested trees. However, this measure has not made it possible to eradicate the disease in Portugal, and a previous modeling study showed it was not effective in vast, pine-only forests.