USDA funds help battle with pine beetles

The Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) has not plagued Texas' pine stands in recent years as it has other states. With the help of $1 million provided by the USDA Forest Service and administered by Texas Forest Service, Texas landowners can continue to work to protect their pine stands from the south's most destructive forest past.

The best long-term solution is to manage pine stands to maintain vigorous growth and reduce susceptibility to beetle attack. Periodic thinning is one of the most effective tools for avoiding losses to the southern pine beetle. The Texas Forest Service encourages landowners to thin their dense pine stands and take advantage of federal cost shares now available for this purpose.

According to John Nowak, SPB Prevention Project leader with the USFS in Asheville, NC, the Texas Forest Service has developed one of the most efficient and productive SPB prevention projects in the south.

Applications for SPB cost shares in FY 2007 are now being accepted. Interested landowners should contact their consulting forester or nearest Texas Forest Service office to initiate the simple application procedure.

Pine stands in need of first thinning may qualify for cost shares if they are located in one of 25 beetleprone counties in East Texas including Jasper, Tyler and Newton counties.

For more information, visit the Texas Forest Service web page at http://texasforestservice. tamu.edu/ or contact Dr. Ronald Billings at (979) 458-6650 or email rbillings@tfs.tamu.edu.