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November 3, 2014
Vol. 1, Issue 6
In This Issue
SAVE THE DATE! 

November - CAL FIRE Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Forest Management Projects and State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Grant Workshops. For more information, including specific dates and locations, go to  http://calfire.ca.gov/resource_mgt/downloads/GGRF-SRA%20GrantsWorkshops.pdf.


November 12 - 13- 2014 CFPC Annual Meeting, "California Forest Health - Coping with Drought, Insects, and Pathogens," McClellan (near Sacramento). CEUs will be offered.  To register, go to http://caforestpestcouncil.org/2014/08/save-the-date-2014-california-forest-pest-council-63rd-annual-meeting/.  

 

November 18 - 20 - The Nevada Shade Tree Council "Arborist Certification Preparatory and Certified Arborist Review Series,"  Reno, NV. 7 CEUs per day. Optional ISA Certified Arborist Examination.  For more information, or to register, go to http://www.nevadashadetrees.org/Reno2014.php.
The Collapse of California's Northern Bishop Pine Coastal Forests - It's Not too Late

Bishop pine (Pinus muricata) trees along coastal California have been on the decline for years. In some cases, entire tree stands have collapsed and lack any appreciable recruitment of new cohorts. A serotinous species, these pines rely on fire for  regeneration. With a number of large fires having occurred along the coast of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties following WWII, many of northern California's bishop pine stands are even aged, and they are nearing the end of their life cycle. These stands are being further stressed by disease, bark beetles, and thick understory vegetation and duff layers (caused from a lack of fire) that inhibit seed germination and recruitment. The planting of exotic Monterey pines has exasperated the situation in many areas as these 

Bishop pine coastal forest decline. By T. Scholars, College of the Redwoods
Northern coastal CA bishop pine stand.
 By T. Scholars, College of the Redwoods.

trees can serve as foci for the buildup of harmful insect and disease populations.  Additionally, P. muricata stands often grow on highly desirable development sites which are frequently cleared and repeatedly mowed to prevent vegetation regrowth, removing any pine sprouts that may emerge. 

 

Although California's northern coastal bishop pine stands are in crisis, there is still time to take steps that can slow and even limit the extent of the collapse. To learn more about what can be done, go to  http://cemendocino.ucanr.edu/files/199447.pdf or contact Greg Giusti at gagiusti@ucanr.edu.      
California Forest Health Aerial Survey Results, 2014
Aerial surveys are conducted annually by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection in order map recent tree mortality and injury. The 2014 surveys took place from April 29th - September 11th and covered 44.4 million acres of California, including all National Forests (NF) and forested National Parks, along with other federal, state, and private lands. Mortality was mapped over approximately 909,000 acres with an estimated 3.3 million trees killed, roughly double 2013 levels.

 

Over 820,000 acres were mapped with bark beetle or wood borer mortality, up from 
Dead Trees Sequoia-Kings NP 2014. By Bob Noyes
Dead Trees Sequoia-Kings National Park.
By B. Noyes. 
350,000 acres last year. Fir engraver-related fir mortality increased to 460,000 acres compared to 129,000 acres in 2013. Pine mortality from western and mountain pine beetles increased in 2014, affecting about 260,000 and 220,000 acres, respectively. Jeffrey pine mortality attributed to Jeffrey pine beetle, pine engraver, California five-spined Ips, and California flat-headed borers increased to over 120,000 acres. Pinyon pine mortality increased to 58,000 acres (a large increase from 2013), and nearly 25,000 acres of elevated gray pine mortality were mapped. Coulter pine mortality increased over 10-fold to 13,000 acres. Pockets of Douglas-fir beetle-caused mortality mapped on the Plumas, Lassen, Shasta-Trinity, and Klamath NFs in 2013 did not appear  active in 2014; however, flat-headed fir borer affected almost 16,000 acres of Douglas-fir this year. Goldspotted oak borer-related oak mortality in San Diego County increased from previous years to about 2,600 acres. Despite new finds of sudden oak death (SOD) in Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino Counties, SOD-related oak and tanoak mortality overall in infested areas of California was lower than last year, affecting 28,700 acres compared to over 47,500 acres in 2013. Still, this is much higher than 2011 levels, when only 8,000 acres with elevated mortality were observed. Defoliation from Douglas-fir tussock moth was observed on the Plumas and Lassen NFs, affecting about 28,000 acres. Other damage was caused by pine scales, lodgepole needleminer, satin moth, and Jeffrey pine needleminer. About 227,000 acres of drought-related mortality, defoliation, early color change, and leaf drop in hardwoods (especially blue oak) were mapped.

Newsletter feedback and ideas are welcome. Please submit comments to caforestpestcouncil@gmail.com.

 

Have a safe and happy fall, and remember when buying wood for home heating this winter to buy from a local source - Buy It Where You Burn It.

 

Sincerely,

 

Katie Harrell (formerly Palmieri)

Communications Director

California Forest Pest Council
California Forest Pest Council | (510) 847-5482 | caforestpestcouncil@gmail.com |

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