The Alabama Forestry Commission hopes it can assist private landowners in stopping beetle infestations of pine trees.
The commission announced this month that it is awarding $160,000 to landowners to use prescribed burns and thinning on their pine stands to stop the spread of the Southern pine beetle. Landowners with 10 to 100 acres of pine trees are eligible to apply for the grant money.
According to the commission’s office, Southern pine beetles are the biggest threat to Alabama pine populations. In a press release sent to The Star, the commission said “epidemic populations of this bark beetle occur periodically in the state, destroying hundreds of acres of pines,” and “if not controlled, these expanding populations can devastate entire stands causing millions of dollars in damage.”
A serious outbreak of pine beetle infestation, however, hasn’t occurred in more than a decade, said Jason Dockery with the commission’s northeast administrative office in Gardendale. “Right now, there is no problem,” said Dockery, who noted the last significant outbreak to affect pine populations in Alabama occurred in 2000.
Dockery said one of the reasons for the lack of outbreaks has been increased educational efforts for residents about protecting their pine populations. Thinning tree stands is the best way to keep pines healthy, and able to naturally repel beetles which can quickly spread infestation.
From The Anniston Star: https://annistonstar.com/view/full_story/24972101/article–State-commission-to-help-residents-fight-tree-killing-pests?instance=1st_right