Pacific Southwest Region

Southern California Hazardous Fuels Rehabilitation and Restoration

Dwarf Mistletoe Treatments

• Los Padres National Forest

Coniferous forests in Southern California are extremely valuable because they are found in only a small portion of the region's landscape. Trees lost to insects, disease, or fire take many decades to replace. The Los Padres National Forest, located on the central coast, has a successful on-going project to maintain healthy trees at six Forest Service campgrounds plus seven organization camps that operate under special use permit in Kern and Ventura counties.

Dwarf mistletoe is a parasitic plant that seriously weakens infected trees and makes them susceptible to mortality by insects or pathogens. Dwarf mistletoe spreads by shooting out its sticky seeds over short distances. Pruning of infected branches can control the spread of dwarf mistletoe and extend the life span of ancient trees by decades.

The Los Padres National Forest has continued a mistletoe control program for the past seven years, funded by State and Private Forestry. With additional funding made possible by Congressional earmarks in FY 2004, this program has significantly improved the health of irreplaceable trees. Treatments consist of identifying infected trees, pruning infected limbs, removing severely infected trees, and chipping slash or making it available for campers to burn. The results are healthy stands which are more resistant to insects and disease, reduced ladder-fuels which makes trees less susceptible to crown fire, and better drought-tolerance.

Environmental analysis is currently underway to expand the mistletoe treatment areas to include more high-value conifer stands that are important to recreation areas and adjacent communities. About 8,000 acres are being studied, using funding from State and Private Forestry. Treatments being considered include thinning, pruning, mastication, and prescribed fire to maintain healthy forests with large, mature trees. These continued treatments are made possible by congressional earmark funding provided in 2004.

For more information about the Dwarf Mistletoe Project please contact John Kelly, Mt. Pinos Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest, 661-245-3731.

Success Stories

• Barton Flats
• Breaking Barriers
• Burn Area Restoration Projects
• Carveacre Community Protection
• Charlton Flats
• Crystal Lake
• Evacuation Route Clearing
• Forest Area Safety Taskforce
• Grant Successes
• June Aerial Flight Results
• Kuffel Canyon Road
• Laguna Mountain Community Protection
• Lake Arrowhead Log Storage Facility
• March Aerial Flight Results
• Mistletoe Eradication
• North Lake Arrowhead Fuels Reduction
• Seeds for Forest Renewal
• Skyline Fuels Reduction Project
• Student Conservation Association Partnership
• Take Pride in America

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