HOW to Manage Eastern White Pine to Minimize Damage from Blister Rust and White Pine Weevil
Abstract
White pine was once a dominant forest species in the north central and northeastern United States. Following logging in the late 1800's and the early part of this century, two major pests, white pine blister rust, Cronartium ribicola J.C.Fisch., and white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Peck), combined to reduce the value of white pine. Blister rust was introduced into North America. The weevil is a native insect whose populations and damage increased greatly in newly established plantations following logging and in stands that originated from natural seeding of abandoned farmland. These two pests, along with serious deer browsing problems in some areas, resulted in white pine acquiring a reputation as a poor choice with many forest managers. This is unfortunate since white pine has many excellent qualities and is an important component of numerous forest ecosystems.