Assessment of the Western Bark Beetle Initiative: a Collaborative Effort between Forest Service Research & Development and Forest Health Protection

Mass trapping Verbenone flakes Ips lecontei outbreak in southwestern ponderosa pine forests Large scale outbreaks of bark beetles in recent years have severely impacted forest conditions in the western United States. In response to these outbreaks, the USDA Forest Service in cooperation with the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition drafted a report (2002) that called for increased short-and long-term treatments and development of research tools to mitigate bark beetle-caused impacts. Subsequently, the Forest Service Forest Health Protection (FHP) began the Western Bark Beetle Initiative in FY 2004. One component of the Initiative was a collaborative effort between FHP and Forest Service Research & Development (R&D); the goal being to accelerate development of management tools for control of bark beetles in the western U.S. During FY 2004 and FY 2005, $1,280,000 of FHP funds were allocated to address development of prioritized topics. FHP representatives from the Bark Beetle Technical Working Group reviewed submitted proposals and evaluated funded projects. This report assesses collaborative efforts between FHP and R&D to accelerate development of new management tools for western bark beetles. This assessment is divided into the following sections: 1) Background information on the Initiative 2) Accomplishments to date relative to high priority needs 3) Critical technology and methodology gaps that remain 4) Evaluation of the interaction between FHP and R&D 5) Conclusions on success of the Initiative and recommendations for future funding direction Advancements were made on several management tools used to control western bark beetles. Twenty-seven projects fully or partially funded by the Initiative have been completed or will be concluded by the end of FY 2006. Major accomplishments to date include: • Development of semiochemical and trapping technology to improve monitoring, suppression, or prevention of bark beetles. The combined use of anti-aggregation pheromones and non-host volatiles shows increasing promise for area and individual tree protection against certain pine-infesting bark beetles. • Evaluation of new insecticides for protecting individual trees or of existing insecticides for novel bark beetle species. For example, Onyx and Permethrin +C™ were shown to be equally effective as the industry standard, Sevin SL™, in protecting cypress and juniper trees against bark beetle (Phloeosinus species) attack. In addition, preliminary evidence suggests that two new systemic insecticides (emamectin benzoate and fipronil) may be effective in preventing attacks by a number of different bark beetle species. If additional short-term funding becomes available for improving management tools for western bark beetles, priority should …