Principle - CCFM 2.0 Maintenance and enhancement of Forest Ecosystem Condition and Productivity.

Criterion- CIFOR 2.1 Ecosystem Function is Maintained

Indicator - Area and severity of occurrence of exotic species detrimental to forest condition

"Approximately 400 exotics (non-native species) are known to attack woody plants in this country and the continental USA, including balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae), pine shoot beetle (Tomicus piniperda), beech scale (Cryptococcus fagisuga) and gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)." CCFM p. 35.

The definition and discussion in CCFM deals only with insects and not with plants. Exotic plants, (including rusts and other pathogens), have had and continue to have profound impacts on forest ecosystems in North America.

"There are over 4,500 exotic free-living species in the U.S. today – approximately 2 to 8 percent of plant, insects, pathogen are introduced – some beneficial and some harmful. Of the 70 major insect pests found in the US forests, 19 are exotic. The corresponding proportion of forest pathogens may be even greater. Some forested ecosystems are more impacted and threatened by exotics than others. Hawaii is an extreme example, where two-thirds of the plant species in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are non-native." US Forest Service, 1997, p 4-4.Box C:

Box D: Applicability to Different Landowners. Explain any differences:

N/A

Box E: Overlap:

CCFM 2.1.1 Area and severity of insect attack, CCFM 2.1.2 Area and severity of disease infestation, and some relationship to CCFM 2.1.3 Area and severity of fire damage

Notes:

Exotic biota have the potential to change ecosystem composition, structure and function.

Notes:

As an indicator it is both diagnostic and predictive. Diagnostic because it represents a change in ecosystem structure, composition and function. Predictive because the type and severity of exotic species helps predict future ecosystem changes.

Notes:

Exotic species affect structure, functions and composition but may be thought of as a perturbation that alters ecosystems in many ways.

Box I: Underlying Concepts:

In the CCFM material the entire focus is on insects in forests. However, even as serious as insect problems are it is matched or exceeded by the role of invasive plants. Some pathogens (e.g. white pine blister rust and chestnut blight) have completely altered forest compositions and structures. Invasive plant species are a grave threat in a wide variety of ecosystems in North America including but not restricted to rangelands, riparian areas, forestlands, waterways, etc. White pine blister rust is spreading southward, having now been found on southwestern white pine in New Mexico. If white pine blister rust spreads into Mexico, it will have serious consequences to the forest communities there.

"Many exotic organism are being added to native ecosystems as people and their materials move rapidly around the planet. Some of these result in major species change or loss, as they dominate a system in the absence of natural controls (e.g. chestnut blight, cheatgrass and kudzu). Sampson and DeCoster, 1998.

Some species alter fire regimes (e.g. cheatgrass) and changes in composition leads to many changes in associated biota and ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling.

All exotic species are not considered detrimental. Some insects have and are being deliberately introduced to help control invasive plants.

The CCFM definition and supporting literature deals only with a portion of the problem, but the indicator as written it also applies to plants.

Box J: Relevance to Sustainable/Unsustainable Management:

Exotic organisms have greatly altered the composition and other characteristics of forests in North America. Examples include the role of white pine blister rust and chestnut blight. Exotic insects such as the balsam wooly adelgid and gypsy moth pose a growing threat to forests.

"Experts estimate that invasive plants already infest well over 100 million acres and continue to increase by 8 to 20 percent annually… In particular, invasive plants are recognized as a direct threat to agricultural production and biodiversity in the United States. Our croplands, rangelands, forests, parks, preserves, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges and urban spaces are all adversely impacted by invasive plants." Federal Interagency Committee, 1998.

Box K: Measurement Methods:

Maps of species and areas of potential habitat by species.

Box L: Data Required:

Surveys and maps of invasive species. Insect and disease surveys on forested lands are more or less the best available single source of information but only for insects and pathogens with the majority of information available for insects. Most states also have noxious weed coordinators that have maps of species distributions and severity of infestation.

Box M: Data Used for the North American Test:

Considerable work in the local area has been done by the UCRB team; most especially on rangelands; so some of their maps are included.

Box N: Example Results:

Insert map from PNW-GTR-404 Page 15 as an example

Box O: Assessing the Practicality:

It can be traced over time and measured repeatedly; however coordination between various agencies and institutions is a major problem.

Box P: Assessing the Information Value :

Information value is high; however manager’s often do not fully appreciate the threat some exotic species pose and control measures are often not taken until the situation has reached epidemic proportions. It is a challenge to get all landowners involved.

Box Q: Overall assessment:

Accepted, on the condition that it is a problem that extents to ecosystems other than just forest lands. Invasive vascular plants and invasive animals have much less survey information available than insects. Exotic species are a major consideration world-wide but it is of such magnitude that it cannot be properly treated in this forum of indicators of sustainable forestry. Exotic biota have direct effects on many types of forests.

Box R: Did you rewrite or revise to a new indicator. If so what?

N/A

Box S: References:

• Federal Interagency Committee for Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (eds.) 1998. Pulling Together: a National Strategy for Invasive Plants. 2^nd edition. U.S. Government Printing Office. 22 p.
• Furniss, R.L., and V.M. Carolin. 1977. Western Forest Insects. Miscellaneous Publication No. 1339. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 654 p.
• Harvey, A.E. 1994. Integrated Roles for Insects, Diseases and Decomposers in Fire Dominated Forests of the Inland Western United States: Past, Present and Future Forest Health. Journal of Sustainable Forestry 2:211-220.
• Quigley, T.M., R.W. Haynes, and R.T. Graham (tech. eds.). 1996. Integrated Scientific Assessment for Ecosystem Management in the Interior Columbia River Basin. General Technical Report, PNW-GTR-382. USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, Oregon. 303 p.
• Quigley, T.M. and H.B. Cole. 1997. Highlighted Scientific Findings of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-404. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, Oregon. 34 p.
• Sampson, R.N. and L.A. DeCoster. 1998. Forest Health in the United States. American Forests. Washington D.C. Allen Press, Lawrence, KS. 76 p.
• Upper Columbia Basin Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 1997. USDA, Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management. Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, Boise, Idaho. Vol. 1. Various paging.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service. 1997. First Approximation Report for Sustainable Forest Management: Report of the United States on the Criteria and Indicators for the sustainable management of temperate and boreal forests. Washington, D.C. Various paging.

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