Southern Research Station Headquarters - Asheville, NC
Main Logo of Southern Research Station, Stating: Southern Research Station - Asheville, NC, with a saying of 'Science you can use!'
[Images] Five photos of different landscape

Congressional Corner

Southwide Initiatives

Emerging Issues in the South

For an in-depth look at State-by-State summaries & forest facts:





The Southern Research Station is part of the Nation's largest forestry research organization -- USDA Forest Service Research and Development -- the leading organization for research on natural resource management and sustainability in the United States. Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, the Southern Research Station serves 13 Southern States and beyond. Its staff of over 130 scientists is organized into Research Work Units with science technicians and other support personnel, who work at various locations throughout the region: Federal laboratories, universities, and experimental forests.

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the Southern Research Station's researchers have excelled in studies on temperate and tropical forests, forest resources, and forest products and activities. These studies provide a wealth of long-term data sets and conclusions on the dynamics of tree plantations and natural stands, watershed management, and wildlife habitats. Guided by a Strategic Framework updated in 2006, our mission is to create the science and technology needed to sustain and enchance southern forest ecosystems and benefits they provide. Forest Science in the South - 2006 summarizes budget information, highlights the year's accomplishments, and list publications.



Small logo of the USDASmall logo of the Forest Service Shield



Emerging Issues in the South

Southern Pine Beetle
The health and competitiveness of Southern forests is being impacted by changing local and global markets, invasive species, shifting consumer demands, and declining economic viability of the private forest landowner. There are ways to both promote the conservation ethic, manage forests for a multitude of resources (traditional and nontraditional), and provide economic gains to the landowner.

Program Overview

[PHOTO] Southern Pine Beetle in flight The southern pine beetle (SPB) is the most serious forest pest in the Southern United States. Its outbreaks result in large patches of infested, dying, and dead trees that can expand over hundreds of acres if uncontrolled. One of the biggest challenges for forest management, SPB outbreaks have caused timber losses on 1 million acres since 1999. This is equivalent to the lumber needed to build approximately 187,000 single-family homes.












Program Performance

The Southern Research Station (SRS) program has funded and managed an extensive cooperative research effort, resulting in progress in key areas: 1) SPB population/range expansion as affected by climate and land use change, 2) systemic insecticide injections for tree protection, 3) genetics of SPB resistant pines, and 4) gasification of SPB killed wood. One feature of this program has been a large competitive grants program that has awarded funding to researchers from 22 institutions in 15 States.



Initiatives and Breakthroughs

To reduce SPB impacts, Station scientists are studying various chemical and biological controls and evaluating genetic susceptibility of pine families and developing stand management strategies to reduce the likelihood of beetle attack.

SRS researchers used a complex technology combining chemical analysis with measurement of the ability of a beetle’s antenna to detect the compound being analyzed. Scientists discovered that a compound once thought to stop beetles from attacking trees actually attracts beetles. This technology has led to the development of effective detection and trapping systems. The Station has the only forest insect laboratory in the U.S. to use this advanced technology. SRS scientists also collected seedlings from SPB resistant loblolly pine trees which are being planted on experimental forests for long-term research evaluating their resistance. Seedlings will be planted in urban areas for use in reforestation studies.

Knowledge gained from decades of SPB research is being synthesized into an online encyclopedia to make it more accessible to managers, researchers, and the public.


Program Potential

The Station’s SPB program encourages cutting-edge research and continues to attract external partners – universities, industry, other federal agencies and non-governmental organizations – to enable further progress towards effective management of this important forest insect. For research continuity, it is critical that cooperative efforts continue to address emerging SPB issues – developing new control and prevention methods, evaluating existing control methods, and developing techniques for restoration of SPB damaged forests.

Evaluating the potential for changed SPB behavior due to changes in regional climate is an important future priority.





Back to: Emerging Issues in the South

PDF Format Available for Download: Southern Pine Beetle Download - 232 KB




Maintaining healthy Southern forests requires an understanding of changing market conditions, rapidly evolving forest threats, and the socio-economic aspects associated with landowner decision making. Incentives and new markets for ecosystem services and biomass are encouraged to support keeping forest lands in working forests, thus preventing fragmentation and loss of habitat. The capacity of States to deliver training, science, and assistance to landowners is essential for success.






Back to Top