Utilization of Beetle-Killed Southern Pine

George Woodson – Prepared under contract with the Forest Service, U.S. Dpearment of Agriculture Forestry Associate Professor, Wood Utilization, School of Forestry, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA.

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, General Technical Report WO-47.

Introduction

Each year bark beetles kill southern pine trees over millions of acres of commercial timberland. The southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann) is most damaging. While preventive strategies are preferred, salvage removal of infected and recently killed timber is the most widely used direct control treatment. Removal efforts often include healthy trees from a buffer strip to make the harvesting more cost effective and insure the removal of all infested trees. Timber buyers and mill managers often question the suitability of beetle-killed timber for wood products manufacture. Recent research results have shown that if the trees can be harvested and processed soon after attack, they can be profitably utilized for a wide range of wood products. The following information summarizes the utilization potential of beetle-killed pines.

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