Summary of Current Forest Health Issues Sample Clauses

Summary of Current Forest Health Issues. This section describes the most prominent known forest health issues and risks in the Community Forest area. Information was compared from the 2010 Forest Health Strategy for the Squamish Forest District (now called the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District), the 2019 Coast Area Forest Health Aerial Overview Survey, and field-based knowledge of local forest professionals. The Forest Health Strategy provides a ranked list of priority forest health damage agents in DSQ including forest insects, pathogens, mammals and abiotic agents such as fire (Table 8). More recently, the 2019 Coast Area Forest Health Aerial Overview Survey identified pests in the DSQ to include high incidence of Western balsam bark beetle, some Xxxxxxx-fir beetle and scattered points of drought and Balsam woolly adelgid (X.X. Xxxxxxxxx and Associates 2019). Due to the ecological diversity across the survey area, there is variation in the extent to which the pest risks apply to the specific area of SQCF. Balsam bark beetle is not currently an issue in the SQCF as it primarily attacks subalpine fir – a tree species not prevalent in the SQCF. Local forest professionals observe that the incidence of forest pests in the Community Forest area is generally low and that forest health considerations of note in the SQCF include minor amounts of Phellinus and Armillaria root rot, and occasional outbreaks of Swiss needle cast in Xxxxxxx fir plantations. Hemlock dwarf mistletoe is endemic at low levels. White pine blister rust is present in the SQCF though white pine is not widely distributed. Elk browse sometimes damages young trees. Forest health conditions have the potential to change relatively quickly in the face of climate change. Table 8. Ranking of Priority Pests in the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District Very High High Medium Mature Forests Laminated root rot (Phellinus) Xxxxxxx-fir beetle Swiss needle cast Armillaria root rot (Armillaria) Spruce beetle Balsam woolly adelgid Mountain pine beetle Annosus root rot Pine needle cast Western spruce budworm Hemlock dwarf mistletoe Black stain root rot White pine blister rust Western balsam bark beetle Fire Western hemlock xxxxxx Gypsy Moth Plantations Phellinus Mammals (deer, elk) Swiss needle cast Armillaria Western xxxx xxxx Annosus root rot White pine blister rust Hemlock dwarf mistletoe Dothiostroma needle blight Spruce weevil Pine needle cast Xxxxxx xxxxxx adelgid Xxxxxxx-fir needle cast Source: BC MOFR 2010