Integrating management strategies for the mountain pine beetle with multiple-resource management of lodgepole pine forests

Abstract

Guidelines are presented to assist forest managers in integrating pest management techniques for the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk.) with other resource considerations in the process of planning and executing balanced resource management of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) forests. The guidelines summarize published and unpublished technical information and recent research on the ecological interaction of pest and host and present visual and classification criteria and methods for recognizing and summarizing occurrence and susceptibility status of lodgepole pine stands according to habitat types and successional roles and important resource considerations associated with them. Information is summarized for appropriate silvicultural systems and for practices that address significant resource concerns of commercial and noncommercial forest land designations and wilderness and other special administrative areas. A data acquisition, data analysis, and decision framework is presented for integrating management of mountain pine beetle populations with multiple resource management of lodgepole pine forests.