Himalayan Blackberries: Maybe they are good for something?

By Ken Bevis, Stewardship Wildlife Biologist, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, ken.bevis@dnr.wa.gov

Iconoclast: pronoun. One who challenges conventional thinking in a manner causing logical confusion and sometimes a reconsidering of established views. A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions. (Wikipedia) I want to be one here.

Rubus armenaicus is native to the region of Armenia and northern Iran (located between the Black and Caspian Seas, near Turkey and Russia). It was introduced to Germany in 1835 as a crop plant. Brought to the United States in 1885 by Luther Burbank himself, one of the greats in horticultural history. Somewhere during this phase of crop promotion, the (incorrect) moniker of “Himalayan Blackberry” (HBB) was applied. It was first planted in the U.S. near Santa Rosa California and then to other locations in the Northwest. Apparently never hybridized, it was promoted as vigorous, with heavy berry yields. (True!) The plant escaped propagation and quickly spread. It is now naturalized and considered a noxious weed (as we well know) in many areas, including western Washington.

 Nearly impenetrable HBB thicket. (Ken Bevis, DNR)

Himalayan Blackberries: One of the most aggressive and challenging introduced plant species that have established themselves widely on small forest ownerships. HBB outcompete desirable native plants, taking up growing space intended for trees, overrun trails and open forest stands, and generally are a nuisance. Dense thickets are impenetrable due to the strong canes and vicious spines. Ouch! And they are challenging to control. HBB, however, are the only noxious weed I can think of that provides tangible human benefit in the form of jam, cobblers and pies (and I hear wine too). The plant even has a fan base. (The “Himalayan” Blackberry, a California Summer Tradition – Bay Nature)

Food. Water. Cover. The wildlife mantra. When these three things exist in a home range for any species, they have a chance to succeed, i.e. survive and reproduce. How many times have we seen a song sparrow, or a junco, or robin sitting atop an HBB thicket? Or a rabbit scooting underneath? How many bears or birds eat the berries? How many of us have enjoyed the sweet fruits? HBBs can provide cover, and food in abundance.

Let’s face it. They are here to stay. Our “natural” environment, especially in the developed “front country” is a crazy mishmash of both native and introduced species. This topsy-turvy world is an ever-moving kaleidoscope of success and failure, right in front of our eyes. Let’s pop some bubbles: there is no “balance of nature.” The natural world is a seething cauldron of organisms pushing, shoving, cooperating, and surviving (or not), all around us, and they don’t care where they came from (ask a starling if he/she remembers England). Some places have a semblance of stability, especially in relatively undisturbed environments (arguably “balance”), but most of the world now, is “disturbed” and dominated by humans and human influences, such as introduced organisms. Hence, the importance of active management to help us achieve objectives.

So, back to HBB.

Ripe, sweet HBBs. (Ken Bevis, DNR)

They were introduced as a high productivity agricultural plant that grew fast and produced lots of tasty berries. Good objectives, but then, oops. They escaped and now are widespread, and a real pest.

Our Service Foresters, and virtually all land managers in lower elevations of Washington, continuously battle numerous invasive and noxious plants. We have a detailed set of programs with Noxious weed lists and categories, with even legal requirements to control certain species (Class 1). Others have become so ubiquitous (Class 3) that they are basically considered part of the landscape now; HBB is one of these.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating for letting HBB take over the landscape. However, this is one of our “bad” plants that may have some redeeming value as habitat. Many birds and mammals eat the abundant berries (and yes, spread the seed far and wide). The thickets offer amazing cover for many creatures, including birds and mammals.

I heard a story from a landowner in Clark County about a huge HBB thicket on her property. There was a tunnel going into the jungle, big enough for her to crawl into it. She did. Some distance under the viney roof, was a chamber, almost big enough for her to sit up in. What? A bear den? On the far side of the cave, she spotted something in the faint light; it was a porcupine! And how many HBB thickets have low trails going into the vines? Places for rabbits, raccoons, skunks or other medium or small mammals to take refuge? Or locations for birds to nest in the vines or on the ground underneath?

I advocate for habitat piles to create cover thickets for wildlife, and have observed that in western Washington, these will often become HBB thickets with a pile in the middle, providing cover in abundance. And once this happens, it is nearly impossible to control these HBB without destroying the habitat feature.

 The author participates in assessment of the situation regarding HBB. (Ken Bevis, DNR)

That said, HBB must be controlled in most circumstances, otherwise many sites will only have this remarkably aggressive plant, thus reducing plant diversity, overall habitat quality and diminishing ecological integrity. There is plenty of information out there about management, including this succinct resource from King County: King County Best Management Practices for Himalayan and Evergreen Blackberry (Rubus bifrons and Rubus laciniatus).

Basically, HBB is bad. It takes over. However, all things in small doses, right? If we recognize that a thicket, or hedgerow, of HBB has some value, and we make sure it doesn’t spread, it can function as a valuable habitat feature, and a place for tasty berries to be harvested. Decide where it is ok to have it. Mow the perimeter regularly. Maybe dig up root crowns. Keep it right there with active management. Where you don’t want it, work to eradicate. Use the tools you need to win!

Good news: HBB has some habitat value. The bad news: it grows too darn much. And to those weed warriors out there, keep up the good work!

Get to Know More New Faces at the Small Forest Landowner Office

The Small Forest Landowner Regulation Assistance Program recently welcomed a new Regulation Assistance Forester to the team. Allow us to introduce John Schmeltz, who is based in and serving small forest landowners in the Olympic peninsula area.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I enjoy being outside in nature. This includes just getting out and doing things like camping, hiking, riding bikes, just relaxing, or fishing and hunting. For me, knowing where my food comes from is important, and so I have a small little hobby farm. We raise all our own meat including beef, pork, and chicken. Also, we grow a large garden and we can a lot of produce so that it can be enjoyed year around.

Describe your job.

In my job I get to help people understand forestry as well as our state’s forest practices rules. As far as forestry goes, we look at what the current forest condition and management situation is and discuss options to employ to get to desired conditions. For example, if small forest landowners choose to conduct a timber harvest, I can help guide them through the forest practices application permitting process.

Why do you think our work is important?

I feel that my work is important because I get to help people who may not understand everything involved in conducting forest practices. The forest is a very dynamic environment and knowing how to meet your future desired conditions can be challenging and so it is important to be able to provide informed management guidance on possible things landowners can do.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

I would like to help people understand nature and hopefully get a passion for it.  I would like them to realize that nature has a big impact on people and that it needs to be managed in different ways so that it can be multifunctional.

What is your favorite kind of tree and why?

My favorite tree would be the redwood. This is because they are such a large and majestic tree.  Also, the fact that they can create little micro-environments of plants in their canopy is really interesting.

21st Century Construction Means Housing People – and Carbon

By Jeff Gersh, Communications, Washington State Forest Carbon Work Group, jeff@narrativelab.com

“We’re disrupting the building industry and moving to a bio-based economy.”

–Susan Jones, Architect, atelierjones

Before she became a global pioneer in the design of wooden buildings, Seattle architect Susan Jones was a forest nymph. As a seventh grader, she walked a mile-long path of trees to school each day.

“It sounds like a cliché, but seeing the light filter through that canopy of green and how it changed with weather and time was pretty extraordinary for me,” she said.

Her curiosity about construction arrived early. At age five, Susan watched from a homemade cedar swing as her parents built a wood house in Bellingham, Washington. “I was wonder-eyed about the whole thing,” she recalled.

During a field trip with her grandfather to a newly purchased 160 acres on Orcas Island, she strolled with him among freshly planted white pine and fir no bigger than she was. “When you’re my age,” he told her back then, “all these trees will be ready to harvest.”

After a generation of inattention, it has become a place of discoveries.

“Our family forest opened the doors for me to understand the challenges of forest management, as well as the beauty and the regenerative aspects of that process,” said Susan. “And, it has enlarged and deepened my whole experience of building with mass timber.”

Susan Jones visiting her grandfather’s tree farm. (Credit: Susan Jones)

Mass timber, or engineered wood, is a family of precision-fabricated, load-bearing building materials including beams, columns, walls, floors, and roofs. Susan is especially intrigued with cross-laminated timber (CLT), a game-changing technology for construction. Made from dimensional lumber—like 2x4s—sandwiched together at right angles, these components can be delivered in mammoth sizes much like tilt-up concrete walls; 12 x 60 feet is not uncommon. Some people refer to them as “plywood on steroids.”

However, this is not your grandmother’s plywood.

“Wood, being a natural material, comes with variations; that’s what gives it character, but variations can introduce weak spots,” Susan said. “By combining and optimizing many small pieces together, mass timber offers lighter weight and great strength, comparable to concrete and steel—but without having to cut large trees.”

While CLT was invented in Europe and has been part of its building culture for decades, the product is relatively new in the U.S. Susan built her family’s home with cross laminated timber in 2015, followed by a string of commissions showcasing its possibilities.

“I used to joke that my firm, atelierjones, had more CLT projects than any other architect in the country,” she said.

At that time, the architecture and engineering professions were focused on saving “operational carbon” by installing triple-glazed windows, for example, or solar panels. “The question became how to lower embodied carbon by substituting for concrete and steel, the twin wonders of modernist architecture and of 20th century construction,” Susan said. (The “twins” are the source of over 20 percent of global CO2 emissions.)

For architects and builders, one of the biggest hurdles to progress was bureaucracy. Building codes in the U.S. prevented using mass timber in structures higher than six stories. Susan accepted an invitation from the American Institute of Architecture to join an ambitious, multi-year, pro-bono effort to rewrite the national building code. Many studies ensued, but one focus was on the obvious question of fire safety. It turns out, another attribute of mass timber is its stubborn resistance to burning. “We cracked the code and rewrote it,” Susan said. “Now, you can build up to 18 stories.”

From left to right – An interior view of an affordable housing building, called Heartwood, built with CLT. Exterior view of Heartwood building. (Credit: Susan Jones)

With this seismic advance, and the increasing availability of domestically manufactured mass timber, new wooden buildings are poised to provide an additional service in the form of climate mitigation. Compared to concrete, a wood superstructure uses about 40 percent less carbon, not including the carbon it stores. Additionally, the lifespan of these new structures is anticipated to rival the beloved old timber buildings drawing crowds from around the world to places like Seattle’s waterfront; that, in turn, boosts their economic valuation.

Atelierjones’ latest project, Heartwood, is an 8-story gem just minutes from the water, and one of the first affordable housing projects in the country built with CLT. Its 126 living spaces also house over one thousand metric tons of durable carbon. “It’s an important validation of the work we’re doing. I can’t wait to go replicate more.”

Susan Jones, Architect at Heartwood. (Credit: Susan Jones)

This profile is part of a series produced by the nonprofit Washington Farm Forestry Association (WFFA), which supports the stewardship of small family forest owners. The 218,000 small forest landowners in Washington account for about 15 percent of the state’s forests—nearly 3 million acres. Each year, these woodlands absorb an amount of CO2 equal to the tailpipe emissions from 875,000 passenger cars while also producing roughly 15 percent of the harvested wood products in the state.

In partnership with the Washington Tree Farm Program and the American Forest Foundation, WFFA is developing policy recommendations for the Washington legislature to encourage the voluntary participation of small family forest owners in markets that pay for storing carbon; and, in management techniques that improve carbon storage.

For more information, please contact Elaine Oneil, executive director of WFFA: eoneil@wafarmforestry.com.

Photopoint Monitoring: A Simple and Effective Tool

The road, Douglas fir, and a GPS point were used to mark this point. This photo was taken pretreatment. (Rachel Mazzacavallo, DNR)

By Rachel Mazzacavallo, DNR Service Forestry Coordinator, Rachel.Mazzacavallo@dnr.wa.gov

Do you monitor your forestland? If you take routine strolls around your property, the answer is yes! Every time you take a walk around your property, your visual observations are part of your own micro-monitoring effort. What if I told you, you are one step away from turning your enjoyable strolls into a valuable management activity? All that is missing is a visual record. Photopoint monitoring is a simple and effective way to use an organized series of photos to capture change over a given period of time. All that you need to do is strategically choose a location- or several, take a photo, file it, and re-measure at the interval that meets your goals. Photopoints can help you make informed management decisions, pass local knowledge to the next stewards, or even settle an argument about, “what was there,” with your spouse. So, as the weather improves and you begin to venture out more, start to consider what location would be a good spot to establish a photopoint. Despite what it can teach us, this type of monitoring is often overlooked in small private forestland, so grab your camera and head to the woods!

Basic steps of photo point monitoring:

• Select a location

Choose a good vantage point. Some areas that provide good locations for photopoints are along trails, roads, natural openings, on side slopes, and in locations that have no close visual obstructions. Identify a distinct, fixed object, such as a unique tree or a landscape feature, to frame within your photo. This will be used to relocate your point and improve the precision of your re-measurement photos. Mark the location on a map, with a GPS, or on the ground with a monument such as a small metal stake, changing pin, or rebar with flagging. If you do use flagging, use a sharpie to write on the flagging the point number and photo direction.

• Determine the re-measurement interval

While you do not need to re-measure your points every year, you do want to revisit them often enough that you are capturing the visual changes of your forest over time. If you are planning to implement a management activity, you should plan on measuring the point before implementation and soon after completion.

• Organize

Do not discount the importance of keeping your files organized. Plan to keep a digital copy or a hard copy. Use whatever storage method is easiest for you to follow through with consistently.

This photo was taken post treatment. (Rachel Mazzacavallo, DNR)

Tips for photo storage:

• Keep them in a file on your computer, preferably in the same folder as your forest management plan. I suggest creating a photopoint folder with subfolders for each year you re-measure the point.
• Name each picture with the location or a plot number.
• Keep a plot card with the date, the photopoint number name, and the cardinal direction you are facing or place a placard in the corner of each picture with this information.

And lastly, when you update your forest management plan, add monitoring as one of your management activities!

Upcoming Events, Classes, and Workshops

Blooming osoberry on a recent sunny spring day. (Holly Haley, DNR)

Webinars

What’s Happening with Sudden Oak Death

April 11 – April 18, 2023
4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Participants in this free webinar will learn what sudden oak death is, how it spreads, symptoms to watch out for, the treatment approach, sampling and detection strategies, current research and citizen science opportunities.

Emerald Ash Borer Webinar
April 26, 2023
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Presented by Dr. Kevin Zobrist with Washington State University Extension Forestry, this free webinar will focus on properly identifying both the beetle and symptoms on trees.  Dr. Zobrist will discuss the implications for Washington forests and wetlands, management options, and what to expect in the coming years. Register online by 8 a.m. the day of the webinar.

What the Old Forest Taught Us: Forest Stewardship in the 21st Century
May 3, 2023
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
The University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS) hosts Dr. Jerry Franklin, SEFS Emeritus Professor, as the 2023 Sustaining Our World Speaker. Dr. Franklin will present, “What the Old Forests Taught Us: Forest Stewardship in the 21st Century,” and a short Q&A will be held after the presentation. The event takes place at Kane Hall at the UW’s Seattle campus and is offered online or in person. RSVP online.

Birds of the Willamette Valley
May 18, 2023
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
During this free Oregon State University Extension Master Naturalist Program webinar, zoologist Dr. Ivan Phillipsen will present about the wonderful diversity of bird species found across the Willamette Valley Ecoregion. In addition to exploring the avian fauna of several major habitats, including prairies, wetlands, riparian forests, and oak woodlands, discussion will include their ecological importance and some key conservation issues.

Workshops

Stewarding a Climate-Resilient Forest West of the Cascades-Chimacum, WA
April 29, 2023
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Chimacum
At this free workshop in Jefferson Land Trust’s Valley View Forest, professional foresters will introduce forest owners to a set of simple, hands-on strategies for increasing their forests’ resilience in the face of a warmer and drier climate. Discussion topics include ecological risks facing Jefferson County forests due to wildfire, drought, disease, and insect infestation, how to evaluate the current health of a forest based on desired future conditions, and how forest owners can use woody biomass to create wildlife habitat structures such as constructed logs, snags, and habitat piles.

Field Days

Washington State Extension Forestry will host two forest owner field days in June, one in Eastern Washington and one in Western Washington. These events feature a rotation of forestry classes taught by experts from around the Pacific Northwest. Field days are an out-in-the-woods educational event where forest owners can learn about forest management strategies and emerging issues and connect with experts and services to help meet their objectives. Each field day will offer classes on a variety of topics including forest health, wildlife habitat enhancement and management, thinning and pruning, wildfire risk reduction, noxious weed control, and landowner assistance programs. It is also a great opportunity to network with other landowners and connect with your local foresters and other professionals that can assist you on your property.

2023 Western Washington Forest Owners’ Field Day

June 10, 2023
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Eatonville
This event will be held at the University of Washington’s Pack Forest in Eatonville, WA.
Registration for this event is open now. Please visit 2023 Western Washington Forestry Field Day to register and learn more.

2023 Eastern Washington Forest and Range Owners Field DayJune 24 2023
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Newport
This event will be held at the Kalispel Tribe’s Indian Creek Community Forest in Newport, WA.
Registration for this event will open in May; check the website for more information.

Other Events

The 2023 Olympic Experimental State Forest Science Conference

May 3, 2023
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Forks
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) annual update on scientific research and monitoring in the Olympic Experimental State Forest (OESF). OESF is comprised of 270,000 acres of state lands designated in the early 1990s with the intent to study how to integrate revenue production from timber harvests with ecological values such as habitat conservation. Oral presentations, a poster session, panel discussions, demonstrations of less familiar field monitoring equipment, and more. This conference is free and open to the public but registration is required.

2023 Washington State Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting

May 3-5, 2023
La Conner
This in-person annual meeting will include speaker presentations on forest health, climate resilience strategies, tribal cultural uses, carbon projects, current research in fire ecology and post-fire regeneration, and forestry in youth education.  Two field trip options will allow participants to see a range of forest management and related activities.

2023 Washington Farm Forestry (WFFA) Annual Meeting

May 21 – 23

• Sunday, May 21 – Field Tour and Luncheon Meal, Hama Hama Tree Farm, Lilliwaup, WA
• Monday, May 22 – 2023 Annual Meeting including WTFP 2023 Tree Farmer of the Year Award Luncheon and Annual Business Meeting, Olympia, WA
• Tuesday, May 23 – Executive Board Meeting, Olympia, WA

The WFFA celebrates 70 years since incorporated as an organization. Come enjoy the fellowship of your fellow tree farmers and learn more about forestry and small forestland management.

Forest Health Highlights – an Annual Summary of Insect and Disease Activity in Washington

A bigleaf maple tree with sooty bark disease signs (sunken black fungal mats) were sampled as part of the summer 2022 survey. (Photo by Rachel Brooks / DNR)

By Glenn Kohler, Forest Entomologist, and Rachel Brooks, Forest Pathologist, Washington DNR, Glenn.Kohler@dnr.wa.gov, Rachel.Brooks@dnr.wa.gov

Every spring, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service publish a Forest Health Highlights report that summarizes forest health conditions and trends across Washington from the previous year. The 2022 report and previous year’s reports are available on DNR’s Forest Health website.

Information for the report is gathered through annual monitoring projects and special surveys in response to recent forest damage events that are conducted by DNR and the Forest Service. Examples include an annual aerial survey, insect trapping, baiting streams for the pathogen that causes sudden oak death, and installing ground plots to monitor emerging forest health issues, such as emerald ash borer and sooty bark disease of maple. The report also includes information on long-term field research plots, such as evaluation of white pine blister rust resistance in outplanted trees established at sites throughout Washington.

In addition, the report summarizes recent wildfire activity, weather events and drought conditions that may affect forest health, and updates on forest health initiatives such as Washington’s Forest Action Plan. Maps, charts, photos, and brief descriptions make much of the information in the report accessible at a glance. For those who want more detail, it includes links to other resources like maps and data and the contact information of forest health specialists.

Notable forest health condition events in 2022:

An emerald ash borer.

• The June 2022 detection of emerald ash borer (EAB) in the northwest Oregon city of Forest Grove increases the potential of this serious, non-native, forest insect pest moving into Washington. The small, metallic green, wood-boring beetle attacks and kills true ash trees (Fraxinus species). EAB has killed over 100 million ash trees in eastern North America since its original introduction to Michigan in 2002. Since then, it has spread to 36 states and moved gradually westward. An EAB infestation could devastate the ash component of Washington’s forests, as well as sensitive riparian areas where the native Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia) is a keystone species. Infestations of ornamental ash in urban forests will result in very costly removal and replacement.The public is encouraged to report suspected EAB sightings or damage to ash trees. In Washington State, report a sighting at https://invasivespecies.wa.gov/priorityspecies/emerald-ash-borer/
• Swiss needle cast aerial and ground surveys indicate no consequential change. Aerial observers conducted a Swiss needle cast aerial survey in May 2022, covering 2 million acres along and near the coastline. Approximately 115,000 acres with symptoms were observed. To support the aerial survey, 96 ground locations across the same coastal range of the aerial survey were assessed in spring 2021 and 2022. Additionally, during the same time period, 32 ground plots were surveyed in Whatcom and Skagit counties in an area where monitoring had not occurred before.
• The fungus Cryptostroma corticale, which causes sooty bark disease of maples in Europe, continues to be detected in Washington. Initially, this fungus was detected mainly around the Seattle area, but now samples have been found as far north as Bellingham, south into Oregon, and as far east as Pullman. These samples have confirmed the presence of corticale mainly on maple trees (Acer spp.), including on bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), our only native canopy maple. A 2022 ground survey of 50 Western Washington properties indicates that C. corticale on bigleaf maple appears well distributed throughout Western Washington.
• No notable changes regarding Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of sudden oak death, were observed in 2022. ramorum is often found in streams associated with commercial plant nursery trade activity, but there has yet to be any indication that the pathogen is leaving the waterways and impacting bordering vegetation. No stream-baiting sampling locations tested positive for Phytophthora ramorum in 2022.
• The area with mortality caused by pine bark beetles in 2022 was approximately 123,700 acres. Mountain pine beetle damage increased from 53,100 acres in 2021 to approximately 76,800 acres in 2022. The majority of annual pine bark beetle mortality is in lodgepole pine killed by mountain pine beetle, which totaled 66,800 acres in 2022. Surveyors mapped the highest concentrations of mountain pine beetle mortality in lodgepole at high elevation areas of Yakima, Kittitas, Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, and Pend Oreille counties.
• Mortality of ponderosa pine due to western pine beetle has increased steadily since 2012 and reached a peak of approximately 44,300 acres in 2022, the highest level since 2006. Recent drought conditions are likely an important driver of these increases. The highest concentrations of western pine beetle-caused mortality were throughout forested areas of Klickitat County and the Yakama Indian Reservation, central Kittitas County, eastern Okanogan County, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, throughout Stevens and Spokane counties, and the Blue Mountains in southeast Washington. Mortality attributed to Ips pine engravers was mapped on 2,500 acres in 2022, above the 10-year average of 1,700 acres.
• Mortality due to Douglas-fir beetle has been increasing in recent years, reaching a 10-year high of approximately 105,000 acres in 2022, well above the 10-year average of 43,000 acres and the highest level recorded since 2001. Fir engraver caused mortality, primarily in grand fir, had been steadily increasing since 2015 and reached a 10-year high of 166,300 acres in 2019. Since then it has declined to approximately 65,700 acres in 2022.
• Chronic infestations of the non-native balsam woolly adelgid affected approximately 30,000 acres in 2022, accounting for the majority of defoliation damage in Washington. Damage was primarily in subalpine fir at high elevations in the Olympic, Cascade, and Selkirk mountain ranges. No Douglas-fir tussock moth defoliation has been recorded in Eastern Washington since the 2018-2019 outbreaks in Kittitas, Chelan, and Okanogan counties collapsed. No new western spruce budworm defoliation was observed from the air in northeast Washington, where the most recent outbreak is declining.|
• Some foliar diseases were notable in 2022. Western larch defoliation was mapped on approximately 27,500 acres, an increase from the 3,300 acres mapped in 2021. Of the acres affected, lower crown defoliation due to larch needle cast (Rabdocline laricis) was mapped on approximately 27,300 acres, driving the increase. An outbreak of powdery mildew was observed on bigleaf maple in spring 2022 throughout western Washington. Similar to many foliar diseases, these will likely have minimal long-term impacts to healthy trees.

  

  Total acres with insect and disease damage in Washington, 2013-2022. *Trend data are not available for 2020 due to changes in survey methods and reduced survey area.

Annual Insect and Disease Aerial Survey:

An annual insect and disease aerial survey conducted by the Forest Service in cooperation with DNR covers the majority of Washington’s 22 million acres of forested lands and provides much of the trend information in the report. Since 1947, aerial observers have reported the location and intensity of damage by forest insects, diseases, and other disturbances across all ownerships of forestland in Washington.

Without aerial surveys, it would be impossible to track disturbance conditions over such a large area using ground-based methods. Aerial surveys are also an important tool used to detect and map new outbreaks of native and exotic insects and diseases. The total area mapped with some type of damage varies each year from a few hundred thousand to nearly two million acres.

This map shows the flight lines of the 2022 Washington Insect and Disease Aerial Survey (USFW, DNR)

2022 Aerial Survey Highlights:

In 2022, surveyors covered approximately 22 million forested acres across Washington. The 2022 season marked the first time survey operations returned to normal since the COVID-19 pandemic, which influenced operation protocols in 2020 and 2021. Approximately 13% of forested acres typically surveyed in the state were not included in 2021 due to fire activity, aircraft availability, and observer availability. No survey flights were conducted in 2020 to lower risk of COVID-19 exposure among flight crews and their contacts. In place of aerial surveys in 2020, the data used for statewide insect and disease surveys were acquired through a combination of ground sampling and remote sensing.

In 2022, the statewide insect and disease survey recorded some level of tree mortality, tree defoliation, or foliar diseases on approximately 672,000 acres. The area with damage from mortality agents was approximately 604,000 acres, including 346,000 acres attributed to bark beetles and 129,000 acres attributed to bear damage or root disease. Approximately 33,000 acres with damage were attributed to defoliators and approximately 35,000 acres were attributed to tree diseases or other damage causes.

It should be noted that disease damage is significantly underrepresented in aerial survey because symptoms are often undetectable from the air.

Maps and Other Aerial Survey Products available to the public:

Whether you are a regular user of aerial survey maps and data or just learning about what’s out there, check out some of the ADS products now available.

• Downloadable PDF aerial survey quad maps from 2003 to 2022 are available from the US Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region.
• Interactive, web-based aerial survey maps are available to explore at: To view, select Forest Health > Annual Aerial Survey Data.
• The USFS maintains current year aerial survey data and summaries in an interactive, web-based map and a Forest Heath Dashboard. Click on the “Data Viewer” and “Forest Health Dashboard” links to learn more.
• Washington’s annual Forest Health Highlights report is available online and includes information on how to access downloadable GIS layers.

If you have any questions about these products or need information about forest insects and diseases, please contact the DNR Forest Resilience Division at 360-902-1400 or email: forest_health@dnr.wa.gov.

To see more from Glenn Kohler and Rachel Brooks, visit Washington State University Extension Forestry’s Lunch Break series.

Carbon Markets and Forest Management Incentives for Washington’s Small Family Forest Owners

Tucking in the last seedlings of the day, incense cedar and ponderosa pine. (Photo by Jeff Gersh)

Moments after planting, a Ponderosa pine seedling casts shade over its new Westside home. (Photo by Jeff Gersh)

By the Washington Farm Forestry Association (WFFA)

In 2023, the nonprofit Washington Farm Forestry Association (WFFA) is celebrating its 70th year supporting the stewardship of small family forest owners. This anniversary is especially significant as we partner on one of the most important projects in our history — to cultivate a viable future for the communities and ecosystems we care about.

Two years ago, the Washington state legislature passed the Climate Commitment Act (SB5126) establishing an incentive program to fund carbon reductions in Washington. The act recognizes that prevention of forest loss, changes to forest management practices, reforesting or afforesting areas without forest cover, and wise use of harvested wood products are all crucial in mitigating climate change.

The legislation calls for recommendations to encourage the voluntary participation of interested small forest owners in markets that pay for storing carbon; and, in management techniques that improve carbon storage — which in turn benefit forest health and fire hazard reduction.

WFFA was awarded a contract from the Department of Natural Resources in 2022 to develop these recommendations with a work group of small family forest owners and technical experts, and in partnership with the Washington Tree Farm Program and the American Forest Foundation. A final report is due to the legislature in June of 2024. Once implemented, this landmark effort will reward tree farmers who wish to receive payments in exchange for ecosystem services provided to the state, the region, and the world.

Work group responsibilities include:

• Understanding the needs—and possible barriers to participation—of Washington’s small woodland owners in additional carbon storage
• Evaluating existing and potential carbon markets
• Coordinating with managers of state and federal forests, which link to the larger forest ecosystem and economy
• Gathering substantive input from underserved community members as part of environmental justice considerations
• Developing cost-effective remote sensing tools to inventory carbon stocks
• Tracking carbon from the tree farm to the marketplace in order to quantify real outcomes created by carbon storage

The 218,000 small forest landowners in Washington account for 15% of the state’s forests—nearly 3 million acres—and produce roughly 15% of the harvested wood products in Washington. Success of WFFA’s comprehensive approach depends on listening closely to our small woodland owners across the state, and to all of those who care about the health of our forests, communities, and economy.

We are eager for your input, and there are numerous ways to participate—as advisers, through surveys and focus groups, and in creative conversations with members of our work group. Visit WA Carbon Workgroup | Washington Farm Forestry Association (wafarmforestry.com) for more information and please join our mailing list to stay informed about opportunities as the program develops. For additional information, reach out to Elaine Oneil, executive director of WFFA: eoneil@wafarmforestry.com.

Do Cold Temperatures Kill Bark Beetles?

Winter in Eastern Washington. (Melissa Fischer, DNR)

 By Melissa Fischer, Forest Entomologist, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, melissa.fischer@dnr.wa.gov

People often ask me whether or not cold temperatures can kill off bark beetle populations.  The answer is … it depends.

Insects have a number of different strategies to survive low temperatures.  Basically, there are those that are freeze-susceptible and those that are freeze-tolerant.  Most insects are freeze-susceptible. Freeze-susceptible insects will die if frozen, therefore some species tend to choose sheltered locations in which to overwinter.  Amazingly, some species have the ability to produce antifreeze agents inside their bodies, which lowers the temperature at which ice formation occurs (i.e. the supercooling point).

Freeze-tolerant insects can actually survive freezing through adaptations that protect their cell membranes from mechanical damage when ice forms (e.g. the banded woolly bear caterpillar, Pyrrharctia isabella).

A mountain pine beetle. (USDA Forest Service).

The Mountain Pine Beetle

Anyone who is familiar with bark beetles has likely heard of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae).  The mountain pine beetle is notorious for causing mass mortality of lodgepole pine, as well as other pine species, throughout the western U.S. and Canada.  Like most insects, the mountain pine beetle is freeze susceptible and must avoid freezing its body tissues.

In Colorado, the mountain pine beetle overwinters under the bark of trees where temperatures can drop below -35°C in the middle of winter. The mountain pine beetle does not escape these cold temperatures by finding shelter elsewhere.  Instead, it “supercools” to temperatures well below the temperatures occurring under the bark (< -35°C).

How does the mountain pine beetle supercool its tissues? The process begins in the fall as the temperatures begin to drop. First, it stops feeding and empties anything left in the gut; things that contain moisture and can easily freeze. This likely lowers the insect’s supercooling point ~10-20°C.  Next, it accumulates antifreeze substances, such as glycerol, inside its body, which then likely lowers the supercooling point an additional 10°C.  By mid-winter, the mountain pine beetle is fully cold-hardened.

So what’s the lowest temperature at which the mountain pine beetle can survive?  Mountain pine beetle cold tolerance is driven by local temperatures and this species can be found in western North America from Mexico to central British Columbia.  As you can imagine, minimum temperatures in the winter are quite variable across that range, therefore there is no specific temperature that causes mortality for all populations at all times.  We do know though, that in Colorado, the mountain pine beetle can survive at temperatures well below -35°C.

In the spring, as temperatures begin to warm, de-hardening begins and the mountain pine beetle loses its “antifreeze.”  So while it’s highly unlikely for cold temperatures to kill the mountain pine beetle in the winter when it’s fully cold-hardened, there is an element of vulnerability in the fall and spring because this is the time where they are not fully cold-hardened and when extreme low temperatures may still occur.

A southern pine beetle. (USDA Forest Service).

What About Other Bark Beetle Species?

The Pine Engraver

Just like the mountain pine beetle, the pine engraver (Ips pini) is also a freeze-susceptible species, but unlike the mountain pine beetle, the pine engraver’s lowest supercooling point occurs in early winter (based on a study conducted in Wisconsin), rather than in midwinter.  Now why would that be?  Well, in addition to lowering their supercooling point when temperatures begin to cool, the pine engraver adults also “escape” cold temperatures by overwintering below the litter layer.  The snow that accumulates over winter acts as additional insulation.  Therefore, the greatest risk of cold-induced mortality for the pine engraver occurs in late autumn/ early winter, when temperatures drop and there is no snow on the ground to add that extra layer of insulation.

The Southern Pine Beetle

The southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) is an aggressive bark beetle species that has destroyed millions of acres of pine forests in the southern portion of the U.S.  The southern pine beetle does not show any seasonal acclimation to winter temperatures. Its supercooling point was found to be the same during the winter months as the rest of the year.  The southern pine beetle does not escape cold temperatures by overwintering beneath the litter either.  Instead, this species remains active, both feeding and reproducing while exposed to low temperatures.  Although the southern pine beetle does not overwinter beneath the litter or utilize “antifreeze” like other species, it is still well-adapted to remaining active during the winter.  The adults are able to fly at temperatures as low as 6.7°C, the lowest flight temperature known for any bark beetle.

Climate Change

Often when we discuss the effects of climate change on the western U.S., we have a tendency to focus on the increase in summer temperatures (as well as the decrease in precipitation during this time period).  But increases in minimum winter temperatures have actually been greater than increases in maximum summer temperatures, and this trend is expected to continue.

Obviously, an increase in minimum temperatures will influence the survival and expansion of some bark beetle species in the U.S.  The southern pine beetle is a great example.  The fact that the southern pine beetle does not escape cold temperatures by overwintering beneath the litter, and it does not utilize “antifreeze” suggests that cold temperatures inhibit its ability to survive in areas of higher elevation or in more northern latitudes, as winters tend to be colder in these locations.

As the winter minimum temperatures increase over time, the expectation is that the southern pine beetle will be able to survive in more and more of these areas, and that is exactly what’s happening.  The southern pine beetle, once considered a southeastern U.S. pest, was found in southern New Jersey in 2010, New York in 2014 and as far north as New Hampshire and Maine in 2021!

References

Dodds, KJ, CF Aoki, A Arango-Velez, J Cancelliere, AW D’Amato, MF DiGirolomo and RJ Rabaglia. 2018. Expansion of southern pine beetle into northeastern forests: Management and impact of a primary bark beetle in a new region. Journal of Forestry. 116(2): 178-191.

Lombardero, MJ, MP Ayres, BD Ayres, and JD Reeve.  2000. Cold tolerance of four species of bark beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in North America. Environmental Entomology. 29(1): 421-432.

Régnière, J and B Bentz. 2007. Modeling cold tolerance in the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae. Journal of Insect Physiology. 53(6): 559-572.

This Winter, Revisit Your Forest Management Plan

A snowy day in western Washington in 2021. (Holly Haley, DNR)

By Kelsey Ketcheson, Service Forestry Coordinator, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, kelsey.ketcheson@dnr.wa.gov

What kind of forestry work should you be doing during winter? The answer may be to spend some time indoors. If you haven’t looked at your forest management plan in a while, now is a great time to dust it off and see if it could use some changes. This advice may come as a relief to some. When it’s cold and wet and the sun sets early, your cozy living room may be more enticing than your woods. But this isn’t just an excuse to stay inside! Updating your plan will help you stay connected to your forest and focused on your management goals.

You probably put a lot of time and energy into creating your plan in the first place, so why would it need updating? There are a couple of reasons. First, your priorities may change. You may have accomplished major milestones, such as thinning or harvesting. It’s time to cross those off your timeline and think about what’s next for your forest. Perhaps other family members have stepped into more prominent management roles, bringing new ideas to the table. Or maybe over time you’ve learned more, experienced more, and now you have a different perspective. After you’ve owned your forest for a few years, it’s natural that your view of it may change. A management plan isn’t an artifact; it should reflect your current goals.

Second, your forest will change. The changes may be imperceptible at first, but have no doubt that your trees are growing, and the dynamics of your forest are always changing. And much like children or waistlines, you may not notice the changes until things feel a little out of control. One day, you may look around and notice that your trees seem crowded or stressed, or you notice new weeds invading the understory. Unfortunately, nature doesn’t care how hard you worked on your original plan. It is full of surprises, and the best way to deal with those surprises is to be aware and adaptable. Decide how you want to respond to those changes, and include those actions in your plan.

DNR’s service foresters and stewardship wildlife biologist can spend some time walking your woods with you and discussing site conditions, your objectives, and management options. If your plan needs a major makeover, or you’d like to take on an intensive management activity like harvesting, DNR’s regulation assistance foresters and wildlife biologist are available to help you navigate those forest practices. Or it may be worth hiring a consulting forester to help you with an update.  WSU Extension Forestry’s consulting forester directory is a good place to find a professional forester who can assist you.

Feeling like you want to learn more about forest management? Visit our new Landowner Assistance Portal that has a variety of information specifically for small forest landowners. And sign up for a class through WSU Extension Forestry. Their Forest Stewardship Coached Planning course is tailored to small forest landowners and guides you through the process of writing or re-writing a management plan.

The end of the year is a natural time for reflection and planning for the future. As you take stock of your life over the next few months, maybe spend some time thinking about your goals for your forest. Your forest management plan is a living document – it can and should change as your trees age and your life goes in new directions. This winter, take time to make sure it aligns with where you are and where you want to go.

Upcoming Events, Classes, and Workshops

WSU extension forester Andy Perleberg leads a tour as part of the Fall Farm and Forest Field day at Vetter Farm in Deer Park, WA. (Holly Haley, DNR)

Webinars

Forest Management with Salamanders in Mind
December 6, 2022, 7 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Snow for Trees and Watersheds
December 6, 2022, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Southwest Washington SAF Chapter Meeting (Hybrid) – Traditional Use of Western Redcedar and Native Plants
December 6, 2022, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

2022 Carbon Friendly Forestry Conference
December 7– 8

Carbon Offset Opportunities to Plant and Protect Urban Forests
December 14, 2022 10 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Forestry Lunch Breaks – Hardwoods of Western Washington
December 12-15, 12 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• Monday, December 12 – Red alder (Alnus rubra)
• Tuesday, December 13  – Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophylla)
• Wednesday, December 14 – Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana)
• Thursday, December 15 – Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia)

Forest Stewardship University
Online, register for free, on-demand, self-paced learning modules.

The Forest Overstory Podcast
The Forest Overstory is a podcast series dedicated to unraveling forest management topics that impact small forest landowners by interviewing forest land managers, researchers, and fellow private forest owners around Washington.

Classes

DNR service forester Amanda Moody gives a presentation to attendees of a Forest Stewardship Coached Planning class put on by WSU Extension Forestry in Cle Elum this fall. (Holly Haley, DNR)

Winter 2023 Online Forest Stewardship Coached Planning Courses
Wednesdays January 25 – March 22, 2023, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (online with one in-person field trip)

Washington State University Extension Forestry, in cooperation with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, is offering their flagship Forest Stewardship Coached Planning course online this winter for owners of wooded property in Western Washington. Learn how to assess your trees, avoid insect and disease problems, help your forest be resilient in a changing climate, reduce wildfire risk, attract wildlife, reduce invasive weeds, and take practical steps to keep your forest on track to provide enjoyment and income for years to come.

In this course you will have the opportunity to develop your own personalized forest stewardship plan, which brings state recognition as a Stewardship Forest and eligibility for cost-share and current use property tax programs. In addition to the evening class sessions, participants will receive a digital library of reference materials and how-to guides and a site visit to their property by a professional forester.

This nine-week online course for Western Washington property owners will be offered on Wednesday evenings starting January 25, 2023. Space is limited, and these courses usually sell out well in advance. Visit forestry.wsu.edu/  for details and registration information.