This document provides information on various tree species, forest health issues, and silvicultural considerations for managing forests in northern Idaho and western Montana. It includes lists of bark beetles, root diseases, mistletoes, and white pine blister rust that impact different tree species. Tables compare tree species' shade tolerance, drought tolerance, fire tolerance, and susceptibility to insects and diseases. The document also discusses historic changes to forest conditions from timber harvest, invasive species, and fire exclusion. It outlines the Flathead National Forest's management objectives and provides a framework for developing target stands to meet those objectives through silviculture.
Pests of castor_Binomics_Identification_Dr.UPR.pdf
Bark Beetles, Root Diseases, Mistletoes & Other Forest Pests
1. Bark Beetles
• SPRUCE BEETLE
• RED TURPENTINE BEETLE
• WESTERN PINE BEETLE
• ROUNDHEADED PINE BEETLE
MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE
• PINE ENGRAVER BEETLES
• DOUGLAS-FIR BEETLE
• CEDAR BARK BEETLES
• FIR ENGRAVER Beetle
• WESTERN BALSAM BARK BEETLE
Mt Pine Beetle Mortality
2. Root Disease
• Armillaria Root Disease
• Annosus Root Disease
• Laminated Root Rot
• Schweinitzii Root & Butt Rot
• Blackstain Root Desease
• Tomentosus Root Disease
• Pini or Red Ring Rot
• Cedar Laminated Butt Rot (Phellinus)
• Cedar Brown Pocket Rot
• Red Belt Fungus
• Quinine Conk
• Indian Paint Fungus
• Pouch Fungus
*Photo: Terrie Jain, RMRS
6. Understanding individual tree ecology helps us to
make decisions on how to alter:
• Tree Establishment
• Forest Structure
• Species Composition
Individual Tree Ecology
7.
8. Shade Tolerance By Species
INTOLERANTINTERMEDIATETOLERANT
WesternHemlock
WesternRedcedar
SubalpineFir
Engelmannspruce
Douglas-fir
WesternLarch
Lodgep[olePine
WhitebarkPine
PonderosaPine
GrandFir
WhitePine
Reforestation-Revegetation Climate Change Primer, R1 USFS, 2013
9. Tree Establishment – Seedbed Needs
Organic Seedbed (Needle Litter/Duff)
Douglas-fir, western white pine, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir,
western redcedar, western hemlock, grand fir
Mineral Soil
Douglas-fir, western white pine, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir,
western larch, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine
Burned
Douglas-fir, western white pine, subalpine fir, western larch,
ponderosa pine, whitebark pine, lodgepole pine
10. Drought Tolerance By Species
TOLERANTINTERMEDIATEINTOLERANT
WesternHemlock
WesternRedcedar
SubalpineFir
EngelmannSpruce
Douglas-fir
WesternLarch
Lodgep[olePine
PonderosaPine
GrandFir
WhitePine
Reforestation-Revegetation Climate Change Primer, R1 USFS, 2013
11. Tree Establishment – Drought
First Year Survival of Planted Seedlings
R1 seedling survival from Reforestation-Revegetation Climate Change Primer, R1 USFS, 2013
12. Fire Tolerance By Species
HIGHLOWVery Low
Western Hemlock
Western Redcedar
Subalpine Fir Engelmann Spruce
Douglas-fir
Western Larch
Lodgepole Pine
Whitebark Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Grand Fir
White Pine
MODERATE
RMRS-GTR-292 table 3.9
13. Insect and Disease Tolerance by Species
RMRS-GTR-292: table 3.1
Early Seral --------------------------------------------------------Late Seral
Ponderosa W. Larch Lodgepole White Pine Douglas-fir E. Spruce Grand Fir Subalpine Fir
Stem
Decay
Pini X X X X X X X X
Schwinitzii X
Root
Disease
Armallaria X X X
Laminated X X X
Annosus X X X X X X
Defoliat
or
Spruce
budworm
X X X
Bark
Beetles
X X X X X X X
14. Changes from Historic Conditions due to Timber
Harvest, Invasive Species and Fire Exclusion
Fire Frequency
• Reduced frequency
increases fuel loadings and forest densification
decrease spatial and species heterogeneity
• Larger, more severe fires
Species Composition and Pattern
• Decrease of fire adapted shade intolerant species
• Increase of less fire adapted shade tolerant species
• Decrease in patch size, mosaic more susceptible to large fire growth
• Decrease in amount of old growth
15. Changes from Historic Conditions continued…
Insects & Disease-
• Loss of 5 needle pines due to white pine blister rust and bark beetles
on 10 million acres in R1
• Loss of size class and species diversity increases susceptible hosts
• Species shift to shade tolerant species; more susceptible to root
disease, defoliators
• MPB increasing in whitebark pine at higher elevations
16. Definition of Silviculture
Silviculture is the art and science of controlling
the establishment, growth, composition, and
quality of forest vegetation for the full range
of forest resource objectives.
17. What Management Action to Take?
• Respond to objectives established in forest
planning and through the NEPA process
• Must follow law, regulation and policy
• Limited by ecological capability of the site
18. Flathead NF Forest Plan Management Objectives
• Increase area dominated by shade-intolerant, resilient, long-lived tree
species (WP, PP, WL, WBP)
• Maintain the existing proportion of old growth forest across the forest
• Reduce hazardous fuels within WUI
• Mimic or approximate natural succession and disturbance processes
• Maintain forests dominated by subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce within
lynx habitat and provide winter snowshoe hare habitat.
20. Stage Vegetation Structure
Downed
Wood
Snags/Acre
Except LPP type
Successional Size Class Age Trees per
Acre
Species
Comp.
BA/ac Average
dbh
Canopy
Closure
Tons/ac
CWD
>9”
15”+ 20”+
Early Seedling/
Sapling
1-40 250-800
≥ 70%
WP/WL/ES
N/A <5” <30%
10-60 2-4 1-2Overstory*
(Seedling/
Sapling)
80+
3-10 TPA 15”+
DBH
WL/WP
Preferred
20-40 15”+ <10%
Mid Small Tree 30-70 150-350 ≥ 60% 50-80 5-10”
25-40%
10-60 2-4 1-2Overstory*
(Small Tree)
120+
3-10 TPA 15”+
DBH
WP/WL Preferred 20-40 21”+
Medium Tree 70-100 50-250 ≥ 60% WP/WL 60-100 10-15”
25-45%
Overstory*
(Medium Tree)
150+
3-10 TPA 15”+
DBH
WP/WL Preferred 20-40 21”+
Mid to Late Large Tree
100-170
>10” DBH 50-
100
≥50% WP/WL 60-120 15+ 25-45% 30-60 2-4 1-2
Late Large Tree
170-300
>10” dbh 30-
150
At least 8 TPA
≥ 21” DBH
≥ 40% WP/WL 60-200 15”+ 30%+ >15 2-4 1-2
21. Final Thoughts
For your cool/moist and moderately dry conifer forest management
discussions, remember to consider:
• Limitations of the site- habitat type, biophysical setting
• Regeneration and growth needs of individual species
• Susceptibility to Disturbances- Early Seral vs Late Seral
• Disturbance regimes that created historically resilient forests
• Incorporating heterogeneity into the stand and landscape