1. Defoliators – Management Direction

2. Numerous insect & disease defoliators periodically reach outbreak levels challenging management goals and options. Dothistroma

3. Long-term strategies for defoliators include, but are not limited to: host species management; age and species mosaics across the landscape; silviculture treatments to lessen susceptibility of trees and stands; long-term plans for managing susceptible species; hazard & risk rating of all susceptible landscapes; and incorporation of climate change into population modeling Short-term tactics for defoliators include, but are not limited to: annual detection (air and ground); population sampling in historic outbreak areas; establish & maintain permanent population monitoring sites; monitor weather patterns to determine stress level of forests and insect response; biological insecticide treatments when threshold levels of damage/insects are reached.

4. Highlights of Management Strategies for 3 major Defoliators in the SIR Western hemlock looper Lambdina fiscellaria lugubrosa Western spruce budworm Choristoneura occidentalis Douglas-fir tussock moth Orgyia pseudotsugata

5. Life history, host preferences and organism response to changing environments and management regimesLife history, host preferences and organism response to changing environments and management regimes Dispersal and outbreak dynamics in changing forest environments (changing/expanding ranges) Dispersal and outbreak dynamics in changing forest environments (changing/expanding ranges) Incipient phase and key environmental triggersIncipient phase and key environmental triggers Impacts at tree, landscape and ecosystem levelImpacts at tree, landscape and ecosystem level Key ingredients we must know about defoliators Eruptive Chronic

6. Tussock moth is a cyclical defoliator of dry-belt Douglas-fir in the south central interior of BC. Tussock moth is typically found at very low elevations often in mixed Ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir forests. Recently these ecosystems have seen high losses of Py from MPB and remaining Df are now at risk. Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata Site near Kamloops showing severe 2007 tussock moth defoliation mixed with low levels of western spruce budworm, and Ponderosa pine mortality from MPB.

7. Douglas-fir tussock moth outbreak dynamics in B.C.

8. After the collapse of the DFTM outbreak in the early 1980’s, the BCMOF implemented an operational, integrated pest management program. Trapping Egg mass surveys Virus application Surveys

9. IPM Objectives for DFTM: 1.detect increasing populations at an early stage; 2.locate and delineate building populations prior to visible defoliation; 3.apply OpNPV to sites expected to sustain unacceptable levels of damage; and, 4.ensure a coordinated program that would respond quickly and effectively to a developing outbreak. OpNPV = Orgyia pseudotugata nuclear polyhedrosis virus

10. Average annual moth catch per 6-trap clusters 2007

11. Several comparisons using Virtuss  and TM Biocontrol- 1 , were conducted over the course of the 1991-93 outbreak. They included: Stored versus newly produced Virtuss  ;Stored versus newly produced Virtuss  ; Virtuss  versus TM Biocontrol-1  ;Virtuss  versus TM Biocontrol-1  ; Alternate swath application (35 m swaths every 200 meters; and,Alternate swath application (35 m swaths every 200 meters ); and, Reduced dosageReduced dosage All treatments proved successful!

12. Virtuss

13. 21 permanent trapping sites (6-trap clusters) established in areas of historic defoliation plus singlets in target areas

14. Heffley Creek Barnes Lake Robbin’s Range Six Mile Ranch

15. It’s back!! Why did I just tell you all of this?

16. 1.Robbins Range-Happy Valley

17. 2.Barnhartvale

18. 3.Six mile-Beaton Creek

19. 4.Heffley Creek-Palmer Forsythe

20. Planned action for 2008: Virus Virtuss  TM Biocontrol-1  2.0 x 10 10 PIBs per gram 2.68 x 10 9 PIBs per gram Complete delineation of areas “at-risk”Complete delineation of areas “at-risk” Information session for private landowners affectedInformation session for private landowners affected Treat incipient populations w virus (Crown & private lands)Treat incipient populations w virus (Crown & private lands) Efficacy assessment and continue monitoring programEfficacy assessment and continue monitoring program

21. Western hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria lugubrosa eruptive defoliator of western hemlock forests Special management issues (e.g. Mountain Caribou habitat) may necessitate control actions Hazard/risk rating managing chronic/susceptible ecosystems Monitoring B.t.k. is an option

22. Western Spruce Budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Largest WSB outbreak in recorded history (1985- 1993) covered >830,000 ha in 1987Largest WSB outbreak in recorded history (1985- 1993) covered >830,000 ha in 1987 1987 outbreak was temporally more synchronous across more sites than previously recorded1987 outbreak was temporally more synchronous across more sites than previously recorded The current outbreak now covers >760,000 ha and has expanded into “new” areasThe current outbreak now covers >760,000 ha and has expanded into “new” areas Periodically erupts to outbreak levels and causes widespread damagePeriodically erupts to outbreak levels and causes widespread damage

23. Coastal sea level Coastal range Coastal range & Southern Interior Southern Interior & Cariboo Annual area defoliated by western spruce budworm in B.C. 1909-2006 Graph from CFS

24. Budworm defoliation

25. No. sites assessed DISTRICTNilLightModerateSevere Total sites Kamloops0366516117 Cascades250597118 Okanagan Shuswap12220245 100 Mile House454413102 Central Cariboo25215069 Chilcotin2109021 RSI total 1122420928472 Results of egg mass sampling: 2008 WSB defoliation prediction

26. 756,000 ha in SIR Ha WSB defoliation in “old Kamloops Region”

27. Budworm Aerial Spray Program:  Foray 48B (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki)  2008 planned treatment 60,000 ha

28. History of defoliation and B.t.k. treatments in SIR

29. Layer 2 - low mortality, moderate topkill Layer 1 - low mortality, some topkill Layer 3 - highest mortality & topkill Layer 4 - combination of 2 age classes - high mortality in suppressed trees

30. Budworm Aerial Spray Program priorities: Douglas-fir dominated sitesDouglas-fir dominated sites multi-canopy structure with layer 3 & 4 “at risk”multi-canopy structure with layer 3 & 4 “at risk” in-stand pine mortalityin-stand pine mortality history of selective harvest or thinninghistory of selective harvest or thinning drier sitesdrier sites high hazard stands (Maclauchlan et al. 2006)high hazard stands (Maclauchlan et al. 2006) min. one year moderate-severe defoliation of layers 3, 4min. one year moderate-severe defoliation of layers 3, 4 >two years light-moderate stand defoliation>two years light-moderate stand defoliation majority of area predicted moderate or greater defoliation in next seasonmajority of area predicted moderate or greater defoliation in next season management goals compromised if damage continuesmanagement goals compromised if damage continues Multiple-use issues compromisedMultiple-use issues compromised

31. B.t.k. cost (2.4 L/ha) per litre per ha Area (ha) Estimated cost B.t.k. cost $6.59$15.8260,000$948,960.00 Rotary wing $8.50 (30,000 ha) $255,000.00 fixed wing $6.00 (30,000 ha) $180,000.00 Estimated application cost $1,383,960.00 Estimated application cost for 2008 western spruce budworm program of 60,000 ha