INSBCT AND DISEASE/ FORBST HEALTH 

 CONDITIONS 



Insect and disease conditions in 

 timber stands on Stillwater State 

 Forest are monitored annually. The 

 annual Forest Health Protection 

 aerial detection survey flight 

 provides DNRC data on mortality on 

 State ownership and adjacent forest 

 ownerships. In addition, Stillwater 

 Unit conducts an annual aerial 

 survey to detect mortality from 

 forest insect infestations and 

 disease infections. The last 

 Stillwater Unit survey was conducted 

 in June of 2002. Ground surveys are 

 done in areas where tree mortality 

 is detected; the cause and scope of 

 the infestation is evaluated. The 

 most prevalent tree mortality found 

 recently on the forest was 

 attributed to Douglas-fir bark 

 beetle (Dendroctonus psuedotsugra 

 Hcpk) and fir engraver {Scolytus 

 Ventalis Leconte) attacks. The 

 Douglas-fir mortality is distributed 

 in clumps and individual trees 

 throughout the analysis area, with 

 the largest concentrations in the 

 lower Swift Creek area and on the 

 rocky portions of Stryker Ridge. 

 The lower Swift Creek area 

 experienced substantial mortality in 

 the grand fir from the fir engraver 

 during 2001 and 2002. Some western 

 larch dwarf mistletoe {Arceuthobium 

 laricis) is patchily distributed 

 over the project area. 



Indian paint stem decay 

 {Echinodontium tinctorium) in the 

 subalpine fir and grand fir is 

 fairly prevalent in the project 

 area. 



A contracted pathologist conducted a 

 root -disease survey and authored a 

 map and management report for the 

 Dog/Meadow Timber Sale Project area. 

 The report can be located in the 

 project file (Root Disease Survey, 

 Mapping And Management Report For 

 The Dog /Meadow Project Area, 

 Stillwater State Forest, Montana, 

 Ferguson 2001) . Most of the 

 mortality from Armillaria root rot 



{Armillaria ostoyae) observed during 

 the survey was in grand fir and 

 subalpine fir. Douglas-fir showing 

 symptoms of root rot infections were 

 fairly common in the area. Some 

 samples of annosus root rot 

 {Heterobasidium annosum) were also 

 collected from infected trees in the 

 project area during the survey. 

 Schweinitzii root rot {Phaeolus 

 Schweinitzii) is also present. The 

 report concluded that the overall 

 impact of root disease in the 

 project area appears low in the 

 known areas of past disease. 



Stocking densities in many of the 

 stands in the project area are high, 

 reducing tree vigor and growth rates 

 and increasing susceptibility to 

 additional insect and disease 

 attacks . 



The project area contains an 

 estimated less than 2 snags per acre 

 that are greater than 15 inches in 

 diameter, which is a condition 

 probably associated with the species 

 mix and harvest entries in the 

 distant past. 



Concentrations of down trees can be 

 found throughout the project area. 

 Most of the down trees are a product 

 of lodgepole pine mortality created 

 several years ago by mountain pine 

 beetle (Dendroc tonus ponderosae) 

 attacks. The combination of heavy 

 fuel loads and dense stocking 

 creates risks of high intensity 

 wildfire occurrences. 



The existing vegetative types in the 

 project area are a result of various 

 site factors, disturbance regimes, 

 and past forest -management 

 activities. 



SITE FACTORS 



• Elevation - The proposed harvest 

 units lay between 4,400 and 3,400 

 feet. 



• Aspects, position on landscape - 

 Proposed activities are primarily 

 at the base of Stryker Ridge on 

 west, south, and flat aspects. 



• Soils - The project area is 



Appendix C-Vegetation Analysis 



Page C-5 



