posted by: USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Forest Health Protection |
Overview General Data Information The Washington Department of Natural Resources and USDA Forest Service strive to help landowners identify and manage forest insect and disease problems. An annual aerial sketchmapping survey is key to monitoring forest insect and disease activity levels across the state. The aerial sketch-mapping survey is flown at 90-120 mph about 1,500 feet above ground level.
They then record a code for the agent that likely caused the damage (usually inferred from the size and species of trees and the pattern or " signature" of the damage) and the number of trees affected. No photos are taken. The results are then made available to interested landowners as maps, electronic data, and summary reports.Covering nearly all of Washington's forests with the aerial survey costs only about 1/3 of a cent per acre (that's three acres for a penny!). These maps and reports produce excellent trend information and historical data. Moreover, they represent a great tool for a quick look at what could be going on in your neck of the woods. survey
maps almost as soon as they are flown! Just go HERE
and click on the map you want to view. These pages can take one to
several minutes (depending on your connection speed) to load because
they are memory intensive. From there you can plot out the entire
map or you can zoom into an area of particular interest and hit Alt+Print
Screen. Then, open up a graphics friendly program such as Paint or
Word, paste it in, and print it out on a field-handy sheet of paper.
This resource can provide timely information for current season pest
evaluations and forest management work.
More
historical data going back to 1980 is also available if desired.
Some Speculation Several
key factors will influence forest susceptibility to insects and diseases
in the next few years in eastern Washington. Forests are generally
overstocked with too much fir and not enough drought tolerant pine.
These conditions stress host trees and make them more susceptible
to pathogens. Additionally, the mild winter weather of the last several
years increases the winter survival rate of insect pests.
Disclaimer Aerial observers
are familiar with forest trees, insects and diseases. They are trained
to recognize various pest signatures. There is always at least one
observer in the plane who has three or more years of sketchmapping
experience. Observers attend several training sessions, including
one just prior to the start of the season, where observations made
by each observer are compared with those of other observers and then
checked on the ground. Additionally, observers talk about what they
are seeing with each other and the pilot as they go along. |
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WADNR Forest Health Home Washington Department of Natural Resources PNW Region Forest Health Protection |