Silviculture Can Reduce Losses from the Southern Pine Beetle

Southern Pine Beetle Handbook

United States Department of Agriculture, Combined Forest Pest Research and Development Program, Southern Pine Beetle Handbook, Agriculture Handbook No. 576 - Issued December 1980

Prevention Silviculture

Figure 3. - Silvicultural guidelines to reduce losses from the SPB.

Cultural practices to maintain healthy stands and reduce the incidence and severity of SPB attacks are in harmony with most management goals. Natural stands and plantations can be equally susceptible to SPB attack when poorly managed; they can be equally resistant to the beetle when treated properly. Treatments are assigned according to management objectives and economic considerations.

The forester must understand host and site factors that influence stand growth and development before he can prescribe practices to reduce losses from bark beetles. "Standard" silvicultural recommendations do not apply to all situations. Each region, forest, and resource objective will require specific practices to maintain or increase the resistance of host trees to beetle attack. The following guidelines (fig. 3) may be helpful in developing prevention strategies. Obviously, high-hazard stands should get first attention.

• Promote Individual Tree Resistance
• Promote Stand Resistance
• Protect the Site
• Minimize Disease and Competition Problems

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