Technology to help save forests

Coordinating a Response to Pine Beetle Devastation

Multiple agencies use MapItFast for an united response against pine beetles

BACKGROUND

In 2009, the Wyoming Statewide Forest Assessment identified the Black Hills region as a high-priority area threatened by insect and disease infestations. In response, the Wyoming State Forestry Division launched the Northeast Wyoming Pine Beetle Response in 2010 to combat the Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) damage on the Wyoming side of the Black Hills.

THE CHALLENGE

The widespread infestation of the Mountain Pine Beetle threatened the health and sustainability of the forests in the Black Hills region. The infestation required a coordinated and comprehensive approach to manage and mitigate the damage.

THE SOLUTION

The Northeast Wyoming Pine Beetle Response involved over twenty partners working on integrated pine beetle infestation treatments. Conservation leaders implemented the Black Hills Regional Pine Beetle Strategy, which included spotting, identifying, marking, and counting infested trees. Teams used the survey data to follow up with both treatment and inspection.

“MapItFast is a tremendous help identifying infested tree locations so that sawyers are able to quickly find and treat the trees. Managing the maps and data from all the contractors is easy and convenient. We were able to accomplish all of this at a fraction of the cost of other systems.”

Jeremy Dedic

Assistant District Forester, Wyoming State Forestry

IMPLEMENTATION

Approximately 80,000 acres were surveyed, and every tree in the forest was evaluated for inspection. MapItFast was utilized for the project because it provided collaborative mapping in an offline environment using Android and Apple devices. Crews could accurately track paths that were walked and log every tree in the system. Treatment crews used the maps to efficiently find and treat trees. MapItFast was instrumental helping to: • Establish priority treatment areas based on aerial and ground surveys. • Spot, grid, identify, mark, and count infested trees. • Map and document control practices to eliminate infested trees before the insects spread to healthy trees. • Follow up with inspections at both the contract and program levels.

RESULTS

MapItFast tracked surveyors’ routes offline, ensuring every infested tree was treated.

The project has shown impressive results. In areas where treatments were implemented, Targeted treatments reduced both time and labor while ensuring a swift response. MPB surveys indicated a significant decrease in infested green trees. For example, in the fall/winter of 2014-15, approximately 80,000 acres were evaluated, and 45,000 trees were treated. By 2015-16, the same area produced only 20,000 trees that needed treatment. Currently, the project has reduced spotting to roughly 35,000 acres, with less than 2,000 infested trees.

CONCLUSION

MapItFast was instrumental for the Northeast Wyoming Pine Beetle Response reducing time and effort and insuring a swift response. Efforts that are enhanced with digital technologies such as those provided by AgTerra, are necessary to maintain these gains and foster a resilient forest capable of withstanding future beetle epidemics and catastrophic wildfires.

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