HELSINKI, July 31 -- The majestic spruces and barren rock hills of Koli, located north of the town of Joensuu in eastern Finland, is a key piece of Finnish "national identity". However, an onslaught of printer insects (Ips typographus) threatens to destroy this national historic imagevaluable national heritage.

Researcher Johanna Tuviala at the University of Eastern Finland told national radio Yle in a recent interview that the spruces surrounding the rocks could be gone in as little as six years, threatening the local environment. "The number of dead spruces has doubled in a year," she said.

As a national park, Koli is administered by the state-owned Parks and Wildlife Finland (Metsahallitus). The hills of Koli assumed a national romantic heritageromantic role as a place of national heritage in the early 20th century. Finnish national composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) spent time on the hills, and the solemnity of the scene was reflected in his music.

According to experts, the increasing heat waves and storm damage caused by climate change have created favorable conditions for various types of bark beetles, with printer insects being the most rapidly increasing among them.

Kaisa Junninen, a specialist in conservation and biodiversity, told Yle that nothing could be done to protect the idyllic landscape. "The only way to save the spruce profile would be to halt climate change," she said. The Finnish Arctic climate has kept the numbers of the insects lowfought to keep the insect numbers low, but as the climate has warmed up, the situation has worsened, she explained.

The printer insects get their name from the distinctive marks they leave on spruce trees after eating the bark.

Despite their destruction, Junninen noted that, from a pure ecological and biodiversity perspective, the destruction of the spruce cover could also be positive, at least in the medium term. "Dead wood houses life," she said. "The insects actually reduce the risk of visitors being hit by falling trees, as dead trees do not attract heavy snow covers."

There have been scientific attempts in Finland to curb the spread of printer insects in production forests. "Traps with pheromones have been tried, and barren zones were cut to stop the insects, but these methods did not work out," Junninen said. Finnish pulp and paper companies have for years expressed concern about the economic damage caused by these insects.

Geologically, the hills of Koli formed as a result of a collision of Earth's plates some two billion years ago.

"Comprising quartz, they have better endured the pressure of the Arctic ice ages that have worn out their surroundings," according to the website of Parks and Wildlife Finland.

As Koli's future hangs in the balance, the question remains: can a solution be found to protect this national heritage? Or will this beloved landscape evolve into something entirely new?

  - Xinhua