HLTH-2: July 2000 Progress Report

"How have biological agents including insects and disease influenced the overall health of the South's forests and how will they likely affect it in the future?"

Question Managers: Denny Ward and Paul Mistretta

GIS And Data Manager: Ed Yockey, USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Asheville, North Carolina

July 18-19, 2000, Nashville TN

APPROACH:  Our approach includes  (1) determining the most significant pest agents impacting the southern forests, (2) determining the location of the cover type at risk, (3) collecting and summarizing historical data on pest outbreaks, and (4) obtaining expert opinions on the likely impact of individual pests.  (5) producing a document with accompanying maps and stating the likely future impact of biological agents  on the southern forests.

RESULTS TO DATE

  1. Eleven cover types or species of trees have been selected including:
    1. white pine
    2. hemlock
    3. spruce/fir
    4. loblolly/shortleaf/slash/Virginia pines
    5. longleaf pine
    6. upland/northern hardwood
    7. bottomland hardwood/cypress
    8. oak/pine
    9. live oak
  2. Biological Pests selected for detailed analyses:
    1. annosus root rot
    2. southern pine beetle
    3. hemlock woolly adelgid
    4. balsam woolly adelgid
    5. other bark beetles
    6. fusiform rust
    7. littleleaf disease
    8. reproduction weevils
    9. tip moth
    10. Texas leafcutting ant
    11. Gypsy moth
    12. Borers
    13. Forest tent caterpillar
    14. Fruit tree leaf roller
    15. Oak decline
    16. Oak wilt
    17. Chestnut blight
    18. Dogwood anthracnose
    19. Beech bark disease
    20. Butternut canker
  3. Seventeen experts have been identified to give their opinions on individual biological agents by answering a set of seven questions outlined in the work plan.
    1. Twelve data layers (GIS-Arc INFO) for insects and diseases have been acquired.
    2. Eight related data layers (species and cover types) have been acquired or developed.
    3. We have requested data on six host species and 3 cover types from FIA to complete the risk assessment for significant pests.
  4. Additional items requested from FIA such as stand age distribution, location of remnant chestnuts larger than one inch.

 

 

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 modified: 7-AUG-2000