Introduction
OPENING REMARKS-1/
Robert F. Scharpf-2/
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome t o Berkeley
and t o t h i s f i r s t symposium on dwarf m i s t l e t o e s ,
"Dwarf M i s t l e t o e Control Through Forest ManageMent."
I t g i v e s me a g r e a t deal of p l e a s u r e
t o be h e r e and t o be a p a r t of t h i s program.
As many o f you a l r e a d y know, I have been
involved i n research aimed a t t h e c o n t r o l of
t h e s e p a r a s i t i c p l a n t s f o r about two decades
now, and i t i s a d i s t i n c t honor and p r i v i l e g e
f o r me t o be co-chairing t h i s symposium with
my c l o s e f r i e n d and working colleague, D r . J .
R. Parmeter.
I t g i v e s me g r e a t pleasure t o s e e t h e
marvelous attendance we have received f o r t h i s
week's program. I t shows t o me t h a t t h e f o r e s t
manager and s c i e n t i s t , t h e teacher and admini s t r a t o r , o r more simply p u t , t h e various peop l e concerned with t h e management and well being of t h e f o r e s t a r e h e r e t o exchange knowledge and work i n concert towards t h e s o l u t i o n
of one of t h e West's most s e r i o u s f o r e s t d i s e a s e
problems.
A s t h e t i t l e o f t h i s symposium implies,
t h e program i s aimed a t dwarf m i s t l e t o e c o n t r o l
through f o r e s t management. This i s not a r e search symposium on dwarf m i s t l e t o e s - - l e t me
say a g a i n - - t h i s i s not a r e s e a r c h symposium on
dwarf m i s t l e t o e s ; even though r e s e a r c h s c i e n -
Alpresented a t t h e Symposium on Dwarf Mistletoe
Control Through Forest Management, Berkeley,
C a l i f o r n i a , April 11-13, 1978.
L ' ~ l a n t P a t h o l o g i s t , P a c i f i c Southwest Forest
and Range Experiment S t a t i o n , Forest Service,
U.S. Department of A g r i c u l t u r e , Berkeley, C a l i f .
t i s t s w i l l p l a y a prominent r o l e i n t h e program.
This i s a gathering n o t only of s c i e n t i s t s but
a l s o of f o r e s t managers and p r a c t i t i o n e r s who
have valuable information, experience, and i d e a s
t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e t o p i c o f dwarf m i s t l e t o e
c o n t r o l . I f e e l confident t h a t they w i l l t a k e
us f u r t h e r down t h e road towards a b e t t e r understanding of t h e s e s e r i o u s f o r e s t d i s e a s e agents
and how they can u l t i m a t e l y be brought under
control.
For my f i n a l statement, l e t me p o i n t o u t
t h a t t h i s i s a symposium, which i s a very
s p e c i a l type of meeting. I t h i n k t h e term
symposium a s defined i n Webster's Third New
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Dictionary w i l l d e s c r i b e what I
judge w i l l be t h e general t e n o r of t h i s meeting. SYMPOSIUM: (1) "A drinking p a r t y ; e s p e c i a l l y
one following a banquet and providing music,
singing and conversation, o r a banquet o r o t h e r
s o c i a l gathering a t which t h e r e i s a f r e e i n t e r change of ideas." ( 2 ) "A meeting a t which
several speakers d e l i v e r s h o r t addresses on
r e l a t e d t o p i c s o r on various a s p e c t s of t h e
same t o p i c o r a c o l l e c t i o n of opinions on a
s u b j e c t e s p e c i a l l y one assembled and one published by a p e r i o d i c a l . "
Now I don't expect t h i s group t o adhere
to the l i t e r a l definition as just stated a l though I have a f e e l i n g , p a r t i c u l a r l y among
some of you I know q u i t e well, t h a t you won't
d e v i a t e too f a r from a t l e a s t one o r two p o i n t s
of t h e before mentioned d e f i n i t i o n . What I do
hope t h a t you w i l l keep i n mind i s t h a t t h i s
symposium i s t o be an informal, open exchange
of opinions, information, and ideas. We a r e
not gathered here t h i s week merely t o r e c e i v e
information.but t o s h a r e i t .
James L. stewart2.I
Abstract: Dwarf mistletoe is still the major disease problem in the Western United States. A simple approach to control
based solely on pathology considerations is no longer compatible
with the complexities of forest management. The development of
simulated-yield models has been the most significant research
during the past 15 years. This symposium is designed to present
the most up-to-date knowledge and technology, and to indicate the
needs for future research.
Why a symposium on dwarf mistletoe?
Fifteen years ago, and much longer ago than
that, when I started as a forest pathologist
in Forest Pest Control, we knew how to control
this pest. Research had provided the following
information: Dwarf mistletoe was an obligate
parasite, meaning that it could exist only on
a living host. It was relatively host specific.
Its spread into new stands was rapid near
infected overstory trees but slow from tree to
tree in an even-canopied stand. Mistletoe
vigor improved when overdense stands were
thinned, but from a practical standpoint, it
was impossible to prune out 100 percent of the
infections or otherwise completely sanitize an
infested stand.
Based on this information the approach to
control was quite simple: Infested stands at
harvest were to be clearcut with complete
destruction of residual whips. Younger
infested stands could be thinned but only with
complete discrimination against dwarf mistletoe, and the stocking was to be reduced just
enough to improve tree growth but not stimulate
the mistletoe. In mixed stands, those tree
species that were immune or resistant to the
dwarf mistletoe species were encouraged.
If we knew all these things that many
years ago, why is there still so much confusion about how to deal with this pest. Why
is dwarf mistletoe still the major disease
problem in the West, causing an estimated
Alpresented at the Symposium on Dwarf Mistletoe
Control Through Forest Management, Berkeley,
Calif. April 11-13, 1978.
Zl~irectorof Forest Insect and Disease
Management Staff, State and Private Forestry,
Forest Service,U.S. Dep. Agric., Washington, D.C
annual loss of 3.2 billion board feet of timber?
Why are we attending a symposium on dwarf
mistletoe?
I think there are three main reasons:
One, the simplified approach to control
is no longer compatible with the complexities
of forest management. Foe example, in the
past the approach was to clearcut large square
or circular blocks and place sale boundaries
in uninfested portions of adjacent stands or
against natural barriers such as open fields
or roads. In today's world, esthetics and
other factors--not dwarf mistletoe--dictate
location, shape, and size of clearcuts. If a
pathologist recommended simply clearcutting
today, the forest manager would likely come
back and say, "I can't clearcut. Isn't there
a way to satisfy both esthetics and reduction
of mistletoe-caused impacts?"
Another example of increased complexities
is the current role of economics in decisionmaking. Our approach to control was based
primarily on silvicultural considerations.
Now it is necessary to refine these considerations with economic evaluations. The forest
manager must consider which treatment provides
the best benefit-cost ratio. Should he thin a
stand now or let it go until final harvest?
To answer questions such as this, it is not
enough to know that thinning will increase the
vigor of dwarf mistletoe as well as tree vigor.
The forest manager needs quantitative information on the interaction between increased tree
growth and dwarf mistletoe intensification.
Will the trees grow fast enough to compensate
for the dwarf mistletoe impact and warrant the
thinning investment?
Another situation mi ht be this: A forester
is faced with a mature inrested stand and wants
to harvest it. Given the species and the site,
he knows he can achieve natural regeneration at
much less cost than for clearcutting and planting. Fifteen years ago, pathologists would
have said "no" to natural regeneration because
the new trees would become infected from the
overstory. I think most of us still say that
regeneration in the absence of any infected
overstory is best. But economics now force the
question of how long can infected seed trees be
left before significant infection of the new
trees occurs. Maybe natural regeneration with
the chance of some dwarf mistletoe is more costeffective in the long run than artificial
regeneration and the assurance of no dwarf
mistletoe.
The second major reason we are attending
a dwarf mistletoe symposium is that over the
past 15 years, spurred on by the need for
refined information, research has produced
significant new information and technology.
The main purpose of this symposium is to
present this new information to you. I want
to highlight a few items. From a dwarf mistletoe standpoint, the most significant research
over the past 15 years has been the progress
in quantifying spread and intensification in
managed stands, correlating levels of infection with growth impact, developing simulated
stand yield programs, and incorporating
mistletoe intensification and impact information into these simulations. The result is a
simulated yield program or model for dwarf
mistletoe infested stands. More research is
needed to develop these models for additional
host-parasite combinations and refine those
now in existence. However, at least for
ponderosa pine in the Southwest and lodgepole
pine in the Central Rockies, the forest manager
can use these computerized simulated-yield
programs to compare the effects of dwarf
mistletoe in a given stand under various
management schemes. He can determine which
scheme, varying from doing nothing to clearcutting and planting, will maximize yields
and benefits or provide the best benefit-cost.
I am excited about this approach to pest
management decisionmaking because it provides
us with the needed tool to deal with the
complexities in forest management in today's
world. Dwarf mistletoe research personnel
can be proud of this development. It is the
outstanding operational example in pest management of a decisionmaking tool that integrates
stand growth dynamics and pest population
dynamics and impacts.
So the second major reason we are here
is to receive an updating on new technology
and control techniques, and maybe more importantly in evaluation and decisionmaking
techniques.
The third reason we are here is because
the job of transferring technology from the
researcher to the user has not been receiving
sufficient emphasis. Training forest managers
in the rationale for dwarf mistletoe control
and the technology for accomplishing it must
be accelerated and this symposium is the
beginning.
I would like to quote from a paper Duane
Kingsley, whom you will hear later, presented
to the Western International Forest Disease
Work Conference in September 1976. Duane was
talking about getting research into practice
and he says, "I believe you will find the
progress is more a crawl than a stampede and
it will remain so until we can answer the
following questions: Where should I do something and what is it that needs to be done?
Why should it be done? What can I expect to
happen if it doesn't get done? Where should
I do nothing? Why?"
What I find disappointing is that we know
the answers to these types of questions for
many situations and have the technology to help
the manager; we just haven't got the job done.
Duane goes on to say, "The managing
forester needs to know the basic facts and how
to design his own treatment prescription for
each stand. With a few exceptions, I believe
there are sufficient technical data on dwarf
mistletoe for anyone who wants to dig them out.
But there is a decided lack of state-of-theart, practical guidelines on what to do about
the problem. Salesmanship! Where is the
pamphlet that I can hand to the District Ranger
that tells him how to size up the problem, how
to solve it and what will happen if he doesn't?
Where is the group training package, the slide
tape program, or self training aid designed
for a group or a new forester to bring their
skill level up to standard?"
So we are having this symposium because
many of the simplistic approaches are now out
of date with today's complex forest management,
research has provided new information and new
technology, and a symposium is a good way to
start an accelerated effort to transfer this
knowledge to you. But I would like to add
that a symposium is only the beginning. You
as forest managers are responsible for managing
the forests under your jurisdiction in the most
efficient and productive manner that you can,
commensurate with your prescribed management
objectives. This requires that you learn and
apply new knowledge and technology as it
becomes applicable to your situation. Research
pathologists are responsible for providing new
information and technology. Pest control
specialists are responsible for training you
in this new technology and helping you to apply
it. But you and only you can actually apply
new knowledge.
During t h i s symposium you w i l l b e pres e n t e d w i t h t h e most up-to-date knowledge and
technology, on t h e b a s i s f o r c o n t r o l i n c l u d i n g
b i o l o g i c a l f a c t o r s of t h e p a r a s i t e and f o r e s t
s t a n d dynamics, on decisionmaking, and on
c o n t r o l p l a n n i n g and o p e r a t i o n s . There w i l l
b e d i s c u s s i o n s on r e c e n t r e s e a r c h and development a c t i v i t i e s i n r e f i n i n g and improving
c o n t r o l t e c h n i q u e s , and f i n a l l y on approaches
t o i n t e g r a t i n g dwarf m i s t l e t o e c o n t r o l i n t o
f o r e s t management. We e x p e c t t h i s symposium
t o b e followed by t r a i n i n g s e s s i o n s and updated
g u i d e l i n e s f o r t h e c o n t r o l of dwarf m i s t l e t o e .
C e r t a i n l y t h e r e w i l l b e a c o n t i n u i n g need f o r
b r i n g i n g you up t o d a t e a s r e s e a r c h aimed a t
your s p e c i f i c n e e d s i s accomplished. However
I want t o a g a i n s t r e s s one c r i t i c a l p o i n t .
Symposiums, t r a i n i n g s e s s i o n s , and g u i d e l i n e s - a l t h o u g h i m p o r t a n t - - w i l l n o t accomplish t h e
r e d u c t i o n of dwarf m i s t l e t o e i m p a c t s on management o b j e c t i v e s . Only t h e f o r e s t manager's
a p p l i c a t i o n of t h e a v a i l a b l e technology can
accomplish t h a t .
The f i n a l t o p i c i n t h i s symposium i s
'Needs f o r F u r t h e r Research."
I talked about
t h e f o r e s t manager's o b l i g a t i o n i n a p p l y i n g
new technology.
He a l s o h a s a n o b l i g a t i o n t o
i d e n t i f y and communicate h i s r e s e a r c h needs.
U n l e s s h e d o e s t h i s , t h e r e i s no way we c a n
have a v i a b l e , problem-solving r e s e a r c h
program d e s i g n e d t o f i l l s p e c i f i c i n f o r m a t i o n
g a p s . T h i s communication from t h e u s e r t o
the researcher is especially c r i t i c a l i n these
t i m e s when f u n d s f o r p a t h o l o g y r e s e a r c h a r e
few. I f r e s e a r c h a d m i n i s t r a t o r s a r e t o d i r e c t
what few d o l l a r s t h e r e a r e t o s o l v i n g s p e c i f i c
h i g h - p r i o r i t y management problems, t h e f o r e s t
manager must t e l l them what t h e s p e c i f i c
problems a r e .
I t h i n k It i s n e c e s s a r y f o r e a c h of u s t o
r e f l e c t e v e r y s o o f t e n on what we may r e f e r t o
a s t h e t o t a l technology t r a n s f e r system.
In
t h e c a s e of dwarf m i s t l e t o e t h i s i n v o l v e s t h e
r e s e a r c h e r , t h e p e s t management s p e c i a l i s t ,
and t h e f o r e s t manager. I f any one of t h e s e
i n d i v i d u a l s does n o t do h i s p a r t , t h e j o b does
n o t g e t done. I f t h e f o r e s t manager d o e s n o t
i d e n t i f y and communicate h i s r e s e a r c h n e e d s ,
t h e n t h e r e s e a r c h e r does n o t work on t h o s e
needs. I f t h e r e s e a r c h e r i s n o t r e s p o n s i v e t o
t h e f o r e s t manager's n e e d s , t h e n t h e s p e c i f i c
new knowledge i s n o t p r o v i d e d . I f t h e p e s t
c o n t r o l s p e c i a l i s t does n o t t r a i n and a s s i s t
t h e f o r e s t manager, t h e new knowledge does n o t
g e t t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e u s e r , and i f t h e f o r e s t
manager does n o t a p p l y t h e new knowledge, t h e n
t h e whole t h i n g h a s been f o r naught and no
improvements a r e made.
I hope each of you w i l l keep t h i s i n mind
d u r i n g t h e symposium. L e t y o u r m e n t a l p r o c e s s
d w e l l on p r a c t i c a l s i t u a t i o n s and t r y t o t h i n k
through how you would h a n d l e them and a p p l y
what you a r e l e a r n i n g . I f you come up a g a i n s t
a q u e s t i o n , l e t t h e q u e s t i o n b e known s o t h a t
i t can b e answered o r l i s t e d a s a r e s e a r c h
need.
I l o o k forward t o t h e s e t h r e e days. L e t
u s each l e a r n and t h e n go home and a p p l y what
we have l e a r n e d .