Integrated Pest Management
Early Forest Pest Control
Until the late 1940s, little was done in the South to control forest pests. They were viewed like wind, lightning, or other acts of God. It was believed that little could be done to control them.
After World War II, State and Federal agencies in the South began to recognize forest protection as a necessary part of forest management. Maximizing the production of wood and wood fiber in the South became desirable. Congress authorized funds to build the capacity to protect forests at the State and Federal levels. State forestry organizations hired forest protection specialists, and universities and colleges began to teach courses about protection of forests from fire, insects, and disease. State and Federal agencies as well as universities conducted research on forest pests. Through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s forest management was commodity or use driven, and some control methods used, though highly effective in generating product, were not environmentally friendly.
Emphasis was placed on chemical control, especially after the development of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides such as DDT, BHC, and lindane. During this era, control of forest pests required intensive labor and, in many cases, was perceived by many people as being damaging to the environment as well as injurious to the people who applied the treatments. Rachel Carson’s book, “Silent Spring”, decried the existing pattern of pesticide use, calling instead for a more intelligent use of these chemicals. The book catalyzed the environmental movement in the United States during the 1960s and 70s. Public outcries against the use of chemicals in the forest resulted in the banning of several pesticides and challenged managers to use and researchers to develop additional environmentally friendly methods for controlling forest pests.
Integrated Pest Management
The best approach to managing pest problems is to combine prevention and control strategies to meet natural resource management objectives. This approach is called integrated pest management (IPM).
The four main pest management strategies are: (1) prevention -- making the forest more resistant to the invasion of pests or more resilient if attacked; (2) suppression -- lowering unacceptably high pest populations to acceptable levels; 3) eradication -- eliminating the pest from the ecosystem; and 4) exclusion – preventing the movement of non-native pests into a new area. Ideally, managers will scientifically select the most effective, most environmentally friendly method (Thatcher and others 1986).
Control Methods
A variety of control methods, both direct and indirect, have been studied to try to alleviate pest outbreaks. Direct control includes use of silvicultural methods, forest sanitation, chemical control. Indirect control includes the use of genetics and quarantines, as well as biological control agents.
Encyclopedia ID: p873
