Life Sciences Commons^™

Southern Pine Beetle And Fire In Wilderness Areas: The Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, Kisatchie National Forest, David Kulhavy, William G. Ross

Faculty Publications

Southern pine beetle infestations affect wilderness areas in the southeastern United States. In the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness area in Louisiana, a southern pine 'beetle outbreak resulted in widespread destruction of longleaf pine. Nest trees of the red-cockaded woodpecker, an endangered species, also were killed. Following the epidemic, a fire fueled by beetle-killed pines went through the wilderness. Forest structure, species composition, successional processes and general ecosystem function were substantially altered as a result of these two related disturbances. Most wilderness areas containing southern pines were managed for pine timber before being designated as wilderness. Bark beetle outbreaks are a predictable …