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On August 1, 2001 the Southern Pine Beetle Initiative
(SPBI) was created to implement hazard and risk reduction strategies concerning
the southern pine beetle (SPB) on privately owned forestland in Tennessee.
Cost-share funds for SPBI were allocated to the Division of Forestry from the USDA
Forest Service for a two-year period ending September 30, 2003. Cost-share
funds are available to landowners to replant pine on forested areas killed by
the SPB and for management practices to reduce the susceptibility of pine
forests to SPB attacks.
Tennessee has experienced a severe outbreak of southern
pine beetles over the last three years. This
outbreak originated in eastern Tennessee in 1998 and has since invaded most of
east Tennessee and portions of southwest Tennessee. An estimated 100,000 acres have felt the impacts with a
majority of the incidents occurring on non-industrial private forestland.
This SPB epidemic has drastically changed the distribution of pine forest
types within Tennessee.
The SPBI hopes to reduce the vulnerability and
susceptibility of newly planted pine stands to SPB attacks by implementing
stand-establishment practices known to reduce the hazard of beetle attacks.
SPBI is also encouraging landowners with existing pine stands to utilize
intermediate treatments that will also reduce the risk of attack.
The Division of Forestry, the University of Tennessee, and your local
forest industries encourage you to learn more about the SPBI.
In-depth information focusing on the what, who, and where’s can be
found in the links below.
SPBI: Policy and Procedures
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