Forest Health Highlights 1997
Louisiana
The Louisiana Office of Forestry 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.
Louisiana Forest Facts
Almost
50% of the entire state of Louisiana is forested (13. 8 million
acres).
Over
90% of forested acreage in Louisiana is privately owned.
The
Kisatchie National Forest (603,700 acres) provides recreational
and wildlife benefits as well as forest products and jobs for thousands
of people.
The
southern pine beetle is Louisiana's most important forest insect
pest. In 1995, a significant outbreak affected a large proportion of the
State. Beetle populations declined in 1996, but losses continued in the
Florida Parishes and the northwestern portion of the State. In 1997, beetle
population continued to decline, with 601 SPB spots affecting approximately
109,000 acres. The outlook for 1998 is for populations to increase slightly.
In
1997, the forest tent caterpillar defoliated over 230,000 acres
of, primarily, tupelo gum in forested wetlands.
The
fruittree leafroller defoliated baldcypress over an area of 525,000
acres in southeastern and south central LA in 1997. Although the predominant
impact is loss of growth, repeated annual defoliation has resulted in
significant crown dieback and mortality of sapling/pole-sized cypress.
Defoliation
of loblolly pines by the loblolly pine sawfly occurred on
approximately 3,000 acres in the spring of 1997. Caldwell parish was most
heavily affected, with lesser amounts in LaSalle and Winn Parishes.
The
larger elm leaf beetle again affected approx. 3,500 acres of mixed
elms in the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area (Iberville Parish). Wildlife
biologists report tree mortality apparent related to the defoliation.
The
buck moth population was found to be on the rise again in and around
federal historical districts in New Orleans.
The Louisiana Office of Forestry and
USDA Forest Service
In spite of the relatively good health of Louisiana'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 Office of Forestry 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 Louisiana's forests.
Forest Health Protection contributions (dollars) to the Louisiana Office of Forestry Cooperative Forest Health program, cooperative suppression projects, and Kisatchie National Forest suppression projects, 1995-98.