The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources provides forest health protection assistance to state and private land managers within the State. This program is funded cooperatively by the State and the USDA Forest Service Forest Health Protection unit.
Over 55% of North Carolina is forested (more than 18.7 million acres).
Almost 90% of forested acreage in North Carolina is privately owned.
The National Forests in North Carolina (1.1 million acres) provide recreational and wildlife benefits as well as forest products and jobs for thousands of people.
The southern pine beetle (SPB) is North Carolina's most significant forest insect pest. The outbreak in 1997 occurred in the coastal areas that were affected by Hurricanes Bertha and Fran in 1996. Many trees were stressed by the salt-water spray and had thin crowns. The area around the Croatan National Forest and Camp LeJeune was extremely hard hit. Over the year, there were 1,117 SPB infestations with population being classified as outbreak in 4 counties. Cooperative suppression project funding was used to minimize the losses from this native pest. The outlook for 1998 is for continued losses, with increasing population levels.
The gypsy moth continues to threaten North Carolina's hardwood forests. A two county area in the northeastern corner of the State is now quarantined. Using a statewide network of traps, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Plant Industry Division works closely with the Division of Forest Resources and USDA Forest Service to monitor for any accidental introductions of the gypsy moth outside of the quarantined area.
The fall cankerworm populations have increased to damaging levels within the City of Charlotte. Mature willow oaks are being defoliated and some mortality is occurring. A suppression project will be conducted in l998.
Since 1993, North Carolina has participated with the USDA Forest Service in a pilot project to demonstrate that the rate at which the gypsy moth spreads into new areas could be reduced in a cost effective manner using current technology. Several intervention projects have taken place within the State over the past 4 years and the results indicate that the rate of spread of the gypsy moth can be slowed by 60%.
In spite of the relatively good health of North Carolina'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 Division of Forest Resources 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 North Carolina's forests.
Forest Health Protection contributions (dollars) to the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources Cooperative Forest Health program, cooperative pest suppression projects and National Forests in North Carolina pest suppression, 1995-98.
|
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooperative Forest Health Program |
82,578 |
86,352 |
86,352 |
89,782 |
| Forest Health Monitoring |
0 |
0 |
0 |
71,000 |
| Cooperative suppression/eradication | ||||
| southern pine beetle suppression |
161,250 |
347,440 |
125,000 |
75,000 |
| gypsy moth eradication |
0 |
55,912 |
66,000 |
200,000 |
| Slow-the-Spread (gypsy moth) |
264,026 |
173,813 |
94,500 |
171,000 |
| NFs in North Carolina | ||||
| southern pine beetle suppression |
23,378 |
39,522 |
111,000 |
164,000 |
| gypsy moth eradication |
4,341 |
4,500 |
25,000 |
148,000 |
For additional information contact:
| North Carolina Dept. of Environment, Health | (or) | USDA Forest Service |
| & Natural Resources | Forest Health Protection | |
| Division of Forest Resources | P.O. Box 2680 | |
| Box 27687 | Asheville, NC 28802-2680 | |
| Raleigh, NC 27611 | (828) 257-4320 | |
| (919) 733-2162 |