Forest Health Highlights 1997

Alabama

The Alabama Forestry Commission provides forest health protection assistance to state and private land managers throughout the State. This program is funded cooperatively by the State and the USDA Forest Service Forest Health Protection unit.

Alabama Forest Facts

Over 66% of Alabama is forested (more than 21.9 million acres).
Almost 95% of forested acreage in Alabama is privately owned.
The National Forests in Alabama (605,000 acres) provide recreational and wildlife benefits as well as forest products and jobs for thousands of people.
After Alabama experienced a major southern pine beetle (SPB) outbreak in 1995, populations decreased dramatically in 1996. During 1997, activity increased some with 3,596 spots being recorded on 2,960,200 acres of lost type. Thirty-four counties were in epidemic status and a cooperatively funded suppression project will continue into 1998.
The Alabama Forestry Commission is utilizing a new technology in the detection and mapping of SPB infestations. A global positioning system has been placed in an aircraft to record the location of beetle infestations. Improved mapping accuracy has led to a higher rate of SPB control, thereby minimizing losses.
Surveying for the gypsy moth continued in the southern half of the state in 1997. Four single moth catches were made, down from other years.
Dogwood anthracnose is a disease that occurs in the forest environment at higher elevations (greater than 800 feet) and in cool moist areas. This disease is currently found in eight counties in the northeast corner of the state. Mortality of native dogwood in those counties ranged from 20% to 93% in 1995. Since then no new infested areas have been discovered and new mortality has been mostly absent. A summary report of 6 years monitoring is being prepared.
Since 1991, the Alabama Forestry Commission in cooperation with USDA Forest Service Research and Forest Health Protection unit has participated in the Forest Health Monitoring Program. This program is designed to annually collect, analyze, interpret and report on the condition of the forests in Alabama. This is accomplished through a system of 208 detection plots.

The Alabama Forestry Commission and USDA Forest Service

In spite of the relatively good health of Alabama's forests, a variety of insects and diseases (both native and introduced), and human-caused impacts such as air pollution, continue to threaten the State's resources. To deal with this constantly changing mix of challenges, the Alabama Forestry Commission and the Forest Health Protection unit of the USDA Forest Service cooperate to prevent, detect, suppress and manage this multitude of threats. The partnership between the two agencies has worked for three decades to maintain and improve the health of Alabama's forests.

Forest Health Protection contributions (dollars) to the Alabama Forestry Commission Cooperative Forest Health Program, cooperative pest suppression projects and National Forests in Alabama pest suppression projects, 1995-98.

	1995	1996	1997	1998
Cooperative Forest Health Program	87,670	93,170	93,170	93,170
Forest Health Monitoring	80,000	80,000	80,000	80,000
Cooperative suppression southern pine beetle	300,000	500,000	200,000	170,000
National Forests in Alabama southern pine beetle	100,501	154,984	31,841	76,000

For additional information, contact:

Alabama Forestry Commission
513 Madison Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130
Pineville, LA 71360
(334) 240-9390

USDA Forest Service
Forest Health Protection
Forest Health Protection
2500 Shreveport Highway
Pineville, LA 71360
318-473-7286