Regional approaches to addressing the mountain pine beetle outbreak on US Forest Service lands
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Date
2019
Authors
Davis, Emily Jane
Abrams, Jesse
Huber-Stearns, Heidi
Steen-Adams, Michelle M.
Moseley, Cassandra
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon
Abstract
Elevated outbreaks of mountain pine beetle
(Dendroctonus ponderosae) have occurred
across the western U.S. over the past two
decades. Although mountain pine beetle (MPB)
is a native insect that naturally infests various
pine species, recent outbreaks have had significant
impacts due to their intensity and extent. On
national forestlands in several states, widespread
tree mortality has affected forest health, tourism
and recreation, the timber industry, public safety,
and other values. MPB infestations also cross
ownership boundaries, making them a complex
management challenge for land managers. In responding
to MPB impacts, the US Forest Service
(USFS) must therefore consider effects and strategies
across landscapes beyond national forests,
as well as the social and political factors that may
constrain or enable management options.
There is an ongoing need to better understand how
agency land managers and partners engage with
MPB outbreaks as well as other acute forest health
disturbances that can affect multiple values on
public lands. Through a National Science Foundation-
funded research project, we investigated
MPB response through case studies on national
forestlands in five states. Our primary goal was to
examine socio-political strategies for addressing
MPB impacts, including any formal or informal
changes to forest governance and management
practices that were implemented in these cases,
and to identify variables that supported or inhibited
effective responses. We provide an overview
of each case study, then compare and discuss the
strategies used.
Description
16 pages