Vaduz (ots) -

The Japanese beetle has spread throughout Liechtenstein and the neighboring Buchs area. The Federal Plant Protection Service (EPSD) has now instructed Liechtenstein and the canton of St. Gallen to combat the spread of this highly destructive, invasive beetle by implementing the following measures.

Within a one-kilometer radius of a beetle discovery site (infestation site), the following rules apply effective immediately:

1. Do not water green spaces
Green spaces such as lawns, meadows, and pastures (including those in parks and sports facilities) may not be watered until the end of September 2026. Flower and vegetable beds, as well as potted plants, are exempt from this ban.

2. Dispose of clippings properly
Clippings (e.g., from trees, shrubs, or lawns) may be taken exclusively to the VfA Buchs recycling facility until the end of September 2026.

3. Do not transport plants
Plants with root balls or in pots may not be removed from the infested area. This rule is currently in effect indefinitely.

These measures affect a significant portion of the residents of the municipalities of Schaan and Vaduz. Additionally, smaller areas of the municipalities of Eschen-Nendeln and Gamprin-Bendern are located within the infested area.

The following rules apply in the buffer zones (areas within a radius of one to six kilometers around a beetle infestation site):

1. Proper disposal of pruning waste
Transporting pruning waste out of the buffer zone is prohibited until September 30, 2026. Transport within the buffer zone or from the infestation site to the VfA Buchs processing facility is permitted. The removal of tree trunks and sufficiently dry hay, as well as silage bales and corn silage, from the buffer zone is not subject to these restrictions.

2. Do not transport plants
Plants with root balls or in pots may not be removed from the buffer zone as of June 1, 2027 (and indefinitely thereafter).

These measures apply to all other municipalities in Liechtenstein. However, some municipalities are only partially affected, particularly Balzers.

The following additional restrictions apply to horticultural businesses and the construction industry:

Horticulture: Rolled turf produced in the infested area may not leave the infested area. Plants with root balls or in pots, as well as ornamental grasses, may not be transported out of the infested area without ensuring that no larvae are present.

Construction industry: Topsoil layers up to 30 cm thick may not be transported out of the infested area.

All measures have been approved by the Federal Plant Protection Service and are intended to prevent long-term damage to agriculture as well as to public and private gardens.

Thank you very much for your support in the fight against the Japanese beetle.

Press Contact:
Office for Forestry, Nature, and Agriculture
Sebastian Menzel, Head of the Agriculture Division
T +423 236 71 98
sebastian.menzel@llv.li