Laminated Root Rot On Bremerton Island Tree Farm

1. Laminated Root Rot On Bremerton Island Tree Farm • 168 acres • It was clear cut in 1928, only • a few old growth Douglas • firs were left

2. The second growth forest that now stands is about 75 years old mainly composed of: Douglas firs, hemlock and alder, there is also some red cedar and white pine. • Mr. Harry E Case obtained the property in 1946 with the purpose of having a tree farm. • The property has been commercially thinned twice, using a thinning method designed to keep the integrity and health of the forest • In 1956, in the south east part of the property a big Douglas fir died. It caused some concern because it was suspected that laminated root rot was the cause of the trees decline.

3. In 1960 there was a windstorm and some of the Douglas fir in the same area blew down. At this point it became evident that laminated root rot was to blame. By 1985 the infected area had grown to three acres, but in the last eighteen years it has grown an additional two acres. • It is suspected that the trees got the fungus from stumps left behind from the initial clear cut. Aerial Photo - 1972 Aerial Photo - 2002

4. Laminated Root Rot Life History/Cycle • Laminated root rot (Phellinus weirii) is a fungal disease that attacks Douglas-fir, Mountain Hemlock and Grand Fir. • It is first visible through pockets of fallen trees.

5. Laminated Root Rot Life History/Cycle Continued • The disease has lost its life cycle over time, it now lives primarily by moving from an infected hosts’ root system to a healthy tree’s root system. Although fruiting fungal bodies do occur their windblown spore is thought to have a relatively unimportant role in the spread of the disease. The diseased area is referred to as a “pocket,” which is estimated to grow at a rate of 30 cm a year

6. Laminated Root Rot Life History/Cycle Continued • The disease attaches itself to a • new host. When that host’s • roots come in contact with a • infected root system. P. weirii • then uses ectotrophic • mycelium that grow across the • root contact and invade a • healthy tree system • As the fungus moves along the • trees roots, the roots distal to • the fungus are killed, this • denies the tree nutrient and • water uptake. This also make • trees more assessable to wind • blow

7. Laminated Root Rot Life History/Cycle Continued • As the roots are killed, wood- decay in the heartwood and sapwood occurs, resulting in a weakened structure of the tree. • Once the fungus enters the tree, it will persist their for many years. The larger the tree the longer potential life span of the fungus. Some references mention that the disease has the potential to live up to 50 years saprophytically in the root system, other sources say 8 years.

8. Laminated Root Rot Life History/Cycle Continued • The Fungus will wall itself in the infected wood in hyphal sheaths which appear as dark zone lines. With advanced decay reddish brown setal hyphae occurs between the laminae

9. Laminated Root Rot Life History/Cycle Continued • While the disease does not affect hardwood trees, it has the potential to spread to the muffin family, this can cause huge economic loss for companies such as Starbucks. The best course of action is to remove the infected trees. Replant with resistant species and eat the infected muffin

10. Defining Area Objectives • The objectives of the infected land must be determined before a management strategy can be adopted Private Commercial Tree Farm Public Recreational Park High Productivity No Productivity Goals Low Species Diversity High Species Diversity Even Age Stand Multiple Age Stand Economic Value Aesthetic Value Disease Elimination Disease Resistance Large Budget Limited Budget

11. Differences in Management Private Commercial Tree Farm • Intensive Removal of Stumps, branches and roots • 50 foot Buffers around root rot pocket • Salvage wind thrown trees • Switch crop species Public Recreational Park • Replace with resistant plant species • Let the pocket grow and be replaced with natives • Leave wind thrown trees as nurse logs and snags • Remove Hazard Trees

12. Current 5 Acre Laminated Root Rot Pocket Objectives: Timber Production Management • Salvage wind thrown, dead and declining DF and Hemlock (about 15 per yr.) • Planted tolerant or resistant plant species Mostly western red cedar- Thuja plicata 900–1,000 Scotch Pine- Pinus sp. 100-200 Western White Pine- Pinus monticola 100-200 • Planted Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii along the edge of root rot pocket • Few Noble Fir, Abies procera for Christmas trees • Assist natural seed source like Hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla, Red Alder Alnus rubra, and some Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii • Economically favoring red alder for the market European demand = furniture

13. Restoration Management • Installation of wire fencing around newly planted trees to control deer damage • Deer repellant is used especially on cedar trees • Brush clearing to reduce plant competition- clear around favored species • ID and protect new natural seedlings

14. Restoration Management Continued According to Donald Goheen and Susan Frankel (USDA Forest Service) “Most disease management involves vegetation management through altering species composition.” Three factors based on choice of species to plant and favor include: 1) What plant species will not be damaged by a particular diseases and what is the relative degree of tolerance or resistance? 2) What ecological amplitudes of candidate plant species? What species are adapted to the site? 3) What is the management objectives? - What plants attain objectives Short and long term? - What are the time constraints? social and political pressures considered.

15. Recommendations (1) Remove all susceptible hosts from the disease center (2) Construct a fifty foot buffer zone and regeneration openings around root rot center with intermediately susceptible, tolerant, resistant or immune species that are adapted to the site (3) Fumigate roots and apply Borax on stumps (Dangerous) (4) Dig a trench around the root rot center to confine fungus (5) Inoculum reduction - remove stumps (6) Maintain species diversity to keep forest health (7) Plant species like blister rust resistant western white pine or sugar maple

16. We’ve looked at… *Defining the problem. *Distinguishing the management practices of a commercial vs. public park operation. *Comparisons on Economic vs. Aesthetic Objectives

17. Recall some facts on Laminated Root Root...Phellinus weirii • Main host: Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock) not as susceptible, but does get infected. Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar) and Pinus monticola (Western White Pine) are rarely infected. Hardwoods are not affected. • Occurs in pockets of downed, dying and standing dead trees (as shown). • Fungus enters trees through contact with infected root. • Can survive up to 50 years in large roots and stumps of dead or cut trees

18. We use these facts as potential solutions to a problem that may never go away.

19. Suggested SolutionsPro’s and Con’s Complete Stump and Root Removal Pro: Disease is controlled and can be planted with the same species after several years. Con: Heavy machinery need; it is expensive and large equipment can cause mechanical damage to establishing plantings.

20. Cut all hosts in infection centers along with a 50-foot buffer around the site and replant with hardwoods and/or resistant species. Con Time it takes for plantings to establish to actually be affective Space occupied sacrifices area of target species for production. Aesthetic threshold has to be determined. Pro Most common and effective to date. Eliminates management of the disease. More diversity in tree species.

21. Commercial vs. Aesthetic & Recreation

22. Commercial Operations The main objective of any commercial operation is sustaining the quality of product to earn profit. Each tree in the property holds significant value; older specimens are high in demand. Most of the management practices prescribed to control laminated root rot make this situation difficult. Replanting with resistant species may encourage more of a diversity in product, but it can be difficult to predict what type of wood will be in demand. With a farm composed of primarily Douglas Fir, it may be difficult to focus management with such a diversity. Providing a 50 foot barrier has proven to be affective, but in a commercial site, many farmers might find it difficult to devote such a space to a barrier species they may have no use for. The root spread of infected trees is also difficult to determine and could appear in stands beyond the barrier adding more work and costs to their operation. Equipment damage was already present with surrounding trees wounded during clearing operations.

23. In the public atmosphere, we look mainly towards the objective of sustainability for asthetics. In areas in constant use, parks departments are constantly debating what steps to take to ensure that the park remains a place of natural beauty for constant recreation. And when you’re dealing with rotting trees, the public’s safety is of upmost concern. And how will management practices impact a public site? Expect public outcry and constant complaints towards actions.

24. The real challenge is finding the balance of letting nature takes its course while man steps in regularly to modify to try and sustain the forest.

25. Outlook for the future

26. We can hope for research and development to further understand the disease’s biological processes and responses to treatments. chloropicrin There is no published evidence to indicate that laminated root rot is influenced by topography, climate, or soil conditions in the Pacific Northwest. There is still no sure solution to our dilemma…

27. For now….. • Continue to develop management practices such as barriers and replanting with resistant species that will help control laminated root rot and other diseases and work towards preserving our Pacific Northwest Landscape. • Our native Doug-Fir may be in decline, but there are certainly steps we can take to ensure their protection in our forests.

28. Message to take with you…

29. The End A presentation by: Shawn Conner Adrian Olivas Rizaniño Reyes Jason Wine Tim Saunders Special Thanks to: Mr. Harry E Case EHUF 451 Spring 2003