Forest Health Highlights in Washington—2013
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Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Forest Health Protection Forest Health Highlights in Washington—2013 Washington State Department of Natural Resources Forest Health Program March 2014 Forest Health Highlights in Washington—2013 Joint publication contributors: Aleksandar Dozic¹ Glenn Kohler¹ Karen Ripley¹ Chuck Hersey¹ Daniel Omdal¹ Alison Nelson2 Mike Johnson¹ Amy Ramsey-Kroll¹ Ben Smith2 ¹Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) 2U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS) Front cover: Aerial observers Ben Smith (USDA Forest Service) and Aleksandar Dozic (Washington Department of Natural Resources). Photo: Mary Verry, USDA Forest Service. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. TableTable of of Contents Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Weather and Forest Health ........................................................................................................................... 3 Drought ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Drought Damage ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Fire ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Aerial Survey .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Map: Forest Disturbance Activity in Western Washington ........................................................................... 7 Map: Forest Disturbance Activity in Eastern Washington ............................................................................ 8 Forest Health Hazard Warning ...................................................................................................................... 9 Moving Towards Resilient Forests in Eastern Washington .................................................................... 9 Forest Health Hazard Warning Area Maps and Damage Agents ......................................................... 10 2012 and 2013 Forest Health Warning Outreach Efforts ..................................................................... 12 Insects .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Bark Beetles .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Fir Engraver ................................................................................................................................. 14 Western Balsam Bark Beetle ....................................................................................................... 14 Douglas-fir Beetle ........................................................................................................................ 15 Spruce Beetle .............................................................................................................................. 16 Pine Bark Beetles ........................................................................................................................ 17 California Fivespined Ips ............................................................................................................. 18 Defoliators ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Western Spruce Budworm .......................................................................................................... 19 Douglas-fir Tussock Moth ........................................................................................................... 22 Western Blackheaded Budworm ................................................................................................ 22 Oregon White Oak Defoliation .................................................................................................... 23 Hemlock Loopers ......................................................................................................................... 25 Larch Casebearer......................................................................................................................... 25 Western Tent Caterpillar ............................................................................................................. 25 Leaf Beetles ................................................................................................................................. 26 Gypsy Moth ................................................................................................................................. 26 Branch and Terminal Insects ................................................................................................................. 27 Balsam Woolly Adelgid................................................................................................................ 27 Animals ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 Bear Damage/Root Disease .................................................................................................................. 28 Diseases ....................................................................................................................................................... 29 Cankers ................................................................................................................................................. 29 White Pine Blister Rust ................................................................................................................ 29 Foliar Diseases ...................................................................................................................................... 30 Conifer Needle Casts ................................................................................................................... 30 Hardwood Foliar Diseases, Dieback, and Declines ..................................................................... 31 Root Diseases ........................................................................................................................................ 32 Other Diseases ...................................................................................................................................... 34 Sudden Oak Death ...................................................................................................................... 34 Data and Services ........................................................................................................................................ 36 Contacts and Additional Information ............................................................................................ Back Cover Summary Washington has 22.4 million acres of forestland. In 2013 approximately 593,000 acres of this land contained some level of tree mortality, tree defoliation, or foliar diseases. This is only about 55% of the 1.08 million acres reported in 2012. Acres with mortality from bark beetles decreased for most hosts in 2013. Mortality due to mountain pine beetle, Douglas-fir beetle, and fir engraver were at the lowest levels in the last ten years. The area with conifer defoliation decreased to approximately one third of the 2012 area, primarily due to the western spruce budworm defoliated area dropping to a ten-year low. New outbreaks of western blackheaded budworm defoliation have expanded to over 14,000 acres in western Washington. Previous statewide annual totals were: 2011: 950,000 acres 2010: 937,000 acres 2009: 1.73 million acres Drought conditions and warm, dry spring weather tend to increase tree stress and insect success, driving acres of damage up. Wet spring weather tends to increase acres affected by foliage diseases and bear damage. Pacific Northwest weather was influenced by the La Nada (neutral) effect in 2013, resulting in a moderately wet spring and above average temperatures June through September. Approximately 1.9 million trees were recorded as recently killed. Pine bark beetle activity recorded by aerial survey in Washington decreased in 2013 to approximately 107,000 acres compared to the 156,000 acres in