United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Alaska Region R10-TP-123 January 2004 State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry A Forest Health Protection Report Pinicola Conk Fomitopsis pinicola Aspen Leaf Miner Phyllocnistis populiella Western Salsify Tragapogon dubius Alaska Forest Health Specialists USDA Forest Service Forest Health Protection Jerry Boughton, Assistant Director S&PF, Forest Health Program Leader; e-mail: [email protected] Anchorage, South-Central Field Office 3301 ‘C’ Street, Suite 202 Anchorage, AK 99503-3956 Phone: (907) 743-9455 FAX: 907) 743-9479 Edward H. Holsten, Entomologist; e-mail: [email protected] Michael Shephard, Ecologist; e-mail: [email protected] Lori Trummer, Pathologist; e-mail: [email protected] Kenneth P. Zogas, Biotechnician; e-mail: [email protected] Cynthia L. Snyder, Biotechnician; e-mail: [email protected] Juneau, Southeast Field Office 2770 Sherwood Lane, Suite 2A Juneau, AK 99801 Phone: (907) 586-8811 FAX: (907) 586-7848 Paul E. Hennon, Pathologist; e-mail: [email protected] Mark Schultz, Entomologist; e-mail: [email protected] Dustin Wittwer, Aerial Survey/GIS; e-mail: [email protected] omas Heutte, Biotechnician; e-mail: [email protected] Fairbanks, Interior Field Office 3700 Airport Way Fairbanks, AK 99709 Phone: (907) 451-2701 FAX: (907) 451-2690 Jim Kruse, Entomologist; e-mail: [email protected] State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry Central Office 550 W 7th Avenue, Suite 1450 Anchorage, AK 99501-3566 Phone: (907) 269-8460 FAX: (907) 269-8902 / 8931 Roger E. Burnside, Entomologist; e-mail: [email protected] Hans Buchholdt, Cartographer/GIS Specialist; e-mail: [email protected] Graham Mahal, Insect & Disease Specialist; e-mail: [email protected] Alaska Cooperative Extension 2221 E. Northern Lights, Suite 118 Anchorage, AK 99508 Phone: (907) 786-6311 Corlene Rose, Integrated Pest Management, Program Mgmt. Coordinator; e-mail: [email protected] Forest Health Conditions in Alaska—2003 General Technical Report R10-TP-123 January 2004 Compiled by: Dustin Wittwer, Aerial Survey/GIS Specialist Significant Contributors: Michael Shephard, Ecologist Tom Heutte, Biological Technician Ken Zogas, Biological Technician Cynthia Snyder, Biological Technician Ed Holsten, Entomologist Mark Schultz, Entomologist Paul Hennon, Pathologist Lori Trummer, Pathologist Roger Burnside, AK/DOF Entomologist Hans Buchholdt, AK/DOF GIS Specialist Acknowledgments: We thank the following people for helping to make this report a success: Annette Untalasco, Corlene Rose, Jim Kruse, Jerry Boughton, Andy Graves, Graham Mahal, Malcolm Furniss. USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region State of Alaska State and Private Forestry Department of Natural Resources Forest Health Protection Division of Forestry Central Office 3301 C Street, Suite 202 550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1450 Anchorage, Alaska 99503-3956 Anchorage, Alaska 99501-2566 2 3 Table of Contents Conditions in Brief . 7 e Role of Disturbance in Ecosystem Management. 13 Status of Insects . 17 Bark Beetles. 17 Spruce Beetle. 19 Bark Beetles in Subalpine Fir . 24 Eastern Larch Beetle. 24 Engravers. 25 Defoliators. 25 Spruce Aphid. 28 Western Black-headed Budworm . 28 Yellow-headed Spruce Sawfly . 29 Hemlock Sawfly . 29 Larch Sawfly . 30 Aspen Leaf Miner. 30 Large Aspen Tortrix . 31 Birch Leaf Roller. 31 Rusty Tussock Moth . 32 Cottonwood Defoliation . 32 Willow Leaf Blotch Miner . 32 Alder Defoliation . 33 Bertha Armyworm . 33 Status of Diseases . 34 Stem Diseases . 37 Hemlock Dwarf Mistletoe . 37 Spruce Broom Rust . 38 Western Gall Rust. 38 Heart Rots of Conifers . 38 Stem Decay of Hardwoods . 40 Shoot Blights and Cankers . 41 Alder Canker. 41 Sirococcus Shoot Blight. 42 Shoot Blight of Yellow-cedar. 42 Canker Fungi of Birch and Aspen . 42 Hemlock Canker . 43 Foliar Diseases . 43 Spruce Needle Rust . 43 Hemlock Needle Rust . 44 Foliage Diseases of Cedars . 44 Spruce Needle Blights . 45 Pine Needle Blight . 45 Root Diseases . 45 Armillaria Root Disease . 46 Tomentosus Root Disease . 46 Annosus Root & Butt Rot . ..