Spilyay Tymoo
October 9,1981 Page 3
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The mountain pine beetle,
which can make short work of
destroying a tree, has recently
become a serious problem in
Warm Springs forests.
Thirty-five hundred acres of
the community’s major
economic resource is in
jeopardy because of infestation
and needs to be thinned, while
700 acres of conditional use
area has been reclassified as a
commercial clearcut area.
After discovering the pine
beetle infestation to be serious
in certain areas, forestry
employees immediately began
to plan for removal of the
infested trees. A Tribal Council
resolution changed the status
of the most infested area at the
Dead Deer Logging site near
Lion’s Head from a conditional
use area to an emergency
commercial thinning area.
Lodgepole pine, ponderosa,
white fir and other species are
being removed from the heavily
infested area.
Lodgepole pine are normally
the victims of the beetle’s attack
but Ponderosa are known to
have become infested,
particularly in areas where
Lodgepole are predominant.
The beetle’s preference is for
Lodgepole but if Ponderosa
should become the habitat of
the beetle the next generation
will seek out the same species of
tree in which it matured. The
Deschutes National Forest is
now finding beetles in some of
its Ponderosa pine.
Lodgepole pine become
victims primarily because they
are trees with low vigor. The
attacked trees are usually those
that are mature and have
reached a stage of slow growth.
The species comes up in
patches after a fire, for
example, sometimes with
10,000 stems per acre,
according to forester Arnold
Browning. The trees must
compete for moisture and other
resources offered by the soil.
CLEAR CUT AREA— 700 acres are marked as a clearcut and thinning area through Tribal Council
resolution in an effort to control the mountain pine beetle.
Under such stressful
conditions the tree cannot
expelí the insects. A healthy
tree on the other hand will
“pitch-out” the beetle. But trees
of low vigor can only succumb
to the beetle’s attack.
The number of Lodgepole
pine in the Warm Springs area
is small in comparison to the
Deschutes National Forest.
Browning states, “We don’t
have extensive stands that are
susceptible.” The Lodgepole
that does exist in the area is
located near the crest of the
Cascades. The Dead Deer area
is included.
Besides clearcutting the
Dead Deer area certain plots in
the area will be thinned along
with 3,500 acres of forest land.
It is necessary that the infested
trees be removed as a fire
preventive measure. Thinning
provides the opportunity for
select trees to receive sunshine
and moisture, making them at
the same time resistant to the
mountain pine beetle’s attack.
A spray is ineffective as the
beetle burrows beneath the
bark of the tree in the
cambrium layer. The beetle is
outside of the tree lor only a
short period of time as it
searches for a live tree in which
to burrow.
While in the tree the beetle
emits a pheromone which
attracts other beetles until the
tree is filled to capacity. The
female beetle then lays eggs.
The larvae feed on the
cambrium layer of the tree
eventually encircling it, cutting
off the water supply and killing
it. The tree turns red after the
new generation flies off in late
summer in search of live trees
to provide a home and food for
the winter.
The extent of beetle damage
in the Warm Springs forests
was reported through use of
aerial photographs after the
annual forest service survey
indicated many damaged trees.
The emergency situation was
reported to Tribal Council.
They acted immediately
directing the forestry
department to take measures in
an attempt to eliminate the
problem.
Timber committee member
Louie Pitt, Jr noted that he
thought Tribal Council acted
hastily until he researched the
problem. He found that years
ago the beetle had destroyed
hundreds of acres of forest land
owned by the Warm Springs
Tribes, which accounted for
Council’s decision.
In an attempt to break even,
the trees in the area are being
sold. Warm Springs Forest
Products Industries bias begun
work in ridding of the dead
pine which is still sabyagable.
B.I.A. Forest Manager
Robert Hamed is hoping other
infested areas can be sold for
salvagable timber, but he feels
the market is pretty tight right
now along with “the small size
of material being logged
making it difficult to find a
seller.”
As stated in the forest
officer’s report, “This logging
unit will help fulfill the
management goals and
sustained vield objectives by: 1.
Providing a portion of the 1982
and 1983 annual cut for the
Warm Springs Indian
Reservation. 2. Increasing
timber" productivity by
harvesting diseased, defective,
mature and overmature timber.
3. Supplying a portion of the
annual cut for the Warm
Springs Forest Products
Industries.”
The primary objective in
harvesting timber in the Dead
Deer area and thinning in other
areas is stated as being “to
reduce timber losses and
mountain pine beetle
populations through the
removal of mortality, beetle-
infested trees, and trees highly
susceptible to be beetle attack.”
Silva-culture methods,
which are being put into effect
now, will help control the
mountain pine beetle
infestation, Browning
commented. “There is pretty
good evidence that the
mountain pine beetle can be
controlled if the trees are
thinned and vigorous growing
trees are maintained.” With
work in this direction a major
investment of the Warm
Springs people is being
protected.
Expanded hours forALC
The Adult Learning Center
is open for anyone interested in
brushing up on spelling,
grammar or math. A small
library is available for those
who wish to check out a book.
The Adult Learning Center,
located in the Community
Center building, also provides
a quiet place to read.
Reba Powell and Nancy
Jolstead will help anyone
interested in obtaining their
GED.
With expanded hours this
year, the Adult Learning
Center is open five days a week,
Monday through Friday, 8-
5:00, and from 7-10:00 p.m. on
Thursday. The number for
more information is 553-1428.
Warm Springs position
on Deschutes River
Following are responses Bill
Marsh, president of Rocky-
Marsh Public Relations firm in
Portland, has given to TV
station KVZI on behalf of
Delbert Frank, speaking as a
member of the governor’s task
force on the Deschutes River.
At the request of Recreation
Committee chairman Louis
Pitt, Jr., these statements are
being printed. The statements
were used in a series on the
Deschutes River aired on TV
station KVZI, Eugene, Oregon
on October 7, 1981.
They asked: What are the
concerns of the Confederated
Tribes?
Answers: 1. That the natural*
beauty of the river be
maintained to the highest
extent possible.
2. That use of the river be
monitored so as to prevent over
use.
3, That private property be
respected and vandalism
reduced, especially including
the western and northern banks
of that portion of the river
which are reservation lands
owned by the Confederated
Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation.
4. That the work of the task PARENTAL SCRUTINY— Warren McCragie inspects the school work of Clomiat during the
force continue until regulation Warm Springs elementary open house on Tuesday, October 6.
of the river usage is established.
Spilyay Tymoo photo by Shewczyk