May 2012 GOAC Briefing Presentation Highlights

Mountain Pine BeetleBriefing

Photo compliments of Josh Birnbaum/National Association of State Foresters

Mountain pine beetle taking flight. They are not good flyers and will normally only fly a short distance. However, they can be carried for hundreds of miles on wind currents.!

Mountain Pine Beetle

Mountain pine beetles are native to the Black Hills. Since recorded history, there have been periodic outbreaks (epidemics) on about a twenty year cycle and each outbreak lasted from 10 – 14 years.

Deadwood was established in 1876 during the Black Hills gold rush. In 1875, a miner named John B. Pearson found gold in a narrow canyon in the Northern Black Hills. This canyon became known as "Deadwood Gulch," because of the many dead trees that lined the canyon walls at the time.

History of MPB in the Black Hills

Schematic history of mountain pine beetle activity: Black Hills 1894-2001

189418971900190319061909191219151918192119241927193019331936193919421945194819511954195719601963196619691972197519781981198419871990199319961999

Year

Kill

ed T

rees

1st epidemic 1894-1909

2nd epidemic 1933-1942

3rd epidemic 1945-1957

4th epidemic 1963-1981

Current epidemic (ongoing)

Photo compliments of Josh Birnbaum/National Association of State Foresters

The current epidemic is the largest in recorded history and has impacted – to date –over 400,000 acres(one quarter) of forest land in the Black Hills.

This picture of the Black Elk Wilderness is only one of many in the central area of the Hills that look like this!

Latest MPB Digital Mapping

(Summer of 2011)

Red areas are MPB infestations.

Light Blue areas are private lands within the Black Hills.

This map was generated from digital photos taken by the Black Hills National Forest.

These photos were analyzed by State GIS professionals to map the mountain pine beetle infestations.

MPB Aerial Survey NumbersAcres of Infested Trees

Number of acres with MPB by year.

1996 – 1,755 acres1997 - 6.930 acres1998 – 13,460 acres1999 – 19,160 acres2000 – 13,546 acres2001 – 102,218 acres2002 – 103,246 acres2003 – 189,655 acres2004 - 57,843 acres*2005 – 19,464 acres**2006 - 40,022 acres2007 - 25,387 acres2008 - 25,163 acres2009 - 22,424 acres2010 - 44,100 acres2011 - 66,111 acres

* Survey conducted 6 weeks early .** USFS changed survey design.

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

200000

Nu

mb

er o

f A

cres

Year

Accomplishments2012 - To Date

For landowners and treatments that were processed through the state database and payment system:

Survey & Marking – 111,243 acres completed1,650 landowners served

184,873 infested trees marked

Treatments Completed – 23,014 acres completed(Reimbursement Payments) 345 landowners served

56,563 infested trees treated

Emergency Funds - 345 landowner claims$459,642 reimbursements paid

$1,000,000 outstanding payments

Treatments for MPB

Most beetles fly less than 300 feet to find a new host as long as suitable host material is available so attacks often appear as slowly enlarging pockets that coalesce

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Direct controls are measures that directly kill the beetles rather than change the environmentDirect controls include:

Cutting and chunkingChippingSpraying

Cutting and chunking works by drying out the wood and killing a significant majority of the beetles before they become adults and emerge.

Chipping the wood is also effective. In addition to drying the wood faster, it also kills the beetles by mechanical damage.