Ecological conditions favoring development of pest epidemics 

 and increased wdldfire hazard are best examined and addressed 

 on an ecosystem scale; fragmented approaches will be less 

 effective. In many cases, forest pest epidemics and wildfire over- 

 lap ownership boundaries, and management actions such as 

 prescribed fire to restore and protect forest health may require 

 coordinated action among adjoining landowners. Forest pest and 

 wildfire damage becomes more important as demands on public 

 and private forest lands increase. 



ACTIONS 



The following actions should be taken to ensure that forest re- 

 source management planning processes consider the ecological 

 significance of pests and wildfire: 



• Consider forest health in the 1995 Forest Service 

 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment and Program. 

 During the RPA process consider the ecological sig- 

 nificance of native and introduced forest pests and 

 wildfire, and their effects on forest health. 



• Consider the ecological significance of forest pests and 

 wildfire, and their effects on forest health in developing 

 Forest Service land management planning regidations and 

 directives. During the revision process consider the 

 ecological significance of native and introduced pests 

 and wildfire, and their effects on forest health. 



• Develop pest modeling and decision support systems to 

 assist land managers in making ecosystem management 

 decisions. Complete development of pest damage 

 models for major pests and pest complexes, and 

 develop the capability to predict pest beharior in key 

 ecosystems under various ecological conditions and 

 to integrate this information with other considera- 

 tions dining forest resource planning processes. 



• Ensure input by pest specialists to interdisciplinary plan- 

 ning teams during the next round of forest plan revisions. 



Strengthen Forest Pest Management's capability to 

 provide necessary input to the next round of plan 

 re\asions. 



• During planning processes, make greater use of historical 

 data and case studies on the roles of drought, pests, and 

 wildfire in ecosystems. De\elop and implement mecha- 



24 Strategic Goals and Actions 



