[ FHP Southern Region ]

Forest Health Highlights 1997

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Forestry Division 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.

Oklahoma Forest Facts

Over 50% of the eastern part of Oklahoma is forested (more than 4.8 million acres).

Over 90% of forested acreage in Oklahoma is privately owned. Small landowners comprise the largest group.

The Ouachita National Forest (222,700) provides recreational and wildlife benefits as well as timber products and jobs for hundreds of people.

Major insect and disease outbreaks have been infrequent within the forested areas of eastern Oklahoma.

While the southern pine beetle (SPB) occasionally causes problems, only 3 SPB infestations were reported in 1996 and 4 in 1997.

During the summer of 1996, the State experienced a fall webworm outbreak. Estimates of defoliation indicated that 2.5 million acres of hardwood trees had 10% or more defoliation. Significant time and effort went into public education efforts related to this problem. In 1997, the first generation was healthy and vigorous with all indications of another epidemic year. However, the second generation failed to materialize.

Gypsy moth trapping is routinely carried out in order to detect new infestations of this exotic pest. No isolated infestations were detected in 1996. In 1997 only a single moth was caught in McCurtain county. Trapping will continue in 1998.

The Oklahoma Forestry Division
and USDA Forest Service

In spite of the relatively good health of Oklahoma'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 Forestry Division 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 Oklahoma's forests.

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