NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE FORESTERS
444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 540, Washington, DC 20001
 

 Statement of John T. Shannon
State Forester of Arkansas
on behalf of the
National Association of State Foresters

 before the US Senate Agriculture Subcommittee
on
Forestry, Conservation, and Rural Revitalization

September 5, 2002

Subject: Oak Mortality in the Ozark Highlands

INTRODUCTION

On behalf of the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), I am pleased that Chairwoman Lincoln invited me to testify regarding oak mortality in the Ozark Highlands.  NASF is a non-profit organization that represents the directors of the State forestry agencies from all 50 States, eight US Territories, and the District of Columbia.  State Foresters manage and protect State and private forests across the US, which together encompass two-thirds of the nation’s forests.

Today I am representing NASF in my role as Chairman of the Forest Health Protection Committee.  The widespread mortality of oaks in the Ozark Highlands is an important issue to State Foresters, private landowners, and our partners.  The problem is of acute interest to the State Foresters of the Ozark Highlands region—Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

NASF appreciates the efforts of the Subcommittee to become apprised of the issue.  There is a serious and difficult forest health problem in the Ozark National Forest and the surrounding Ozark Highlands, and the Federal government should play a significant role in restoring the health of these forests.

Forest ecosystems are complex, and “fixing” forest health problems is difficult.  Each member of the panel will discuss an aspect of the oak mortality issue closest to the witness’ areas of responsibility and expertise.  A forest scientist will discuss research needs.  A National Forest Supervisor will discuss Federal lands issues.  A scientist from The Nature Conservancy will discuss long-term ecosystem management issues.  I will focus on the link between oak mortality and the increased danger of wildfires on private lands.

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM

The Ozark Highlands forest health problem is inaccurately described in three words: red oak borer.  Recent data indicates populations of the insect, red oak borer, have exploded far beyond numbers ever before measured.  But red oak borer is a native insect, a natural part of the Ozark Highlands ecosystem.  We could not make red oak borer go away if we wanted to.

On very many acres, the forests of the Ozark Highlands are overcrowded.  On these overstocked acres, basal area is approximately 120 square feet when in healthy stands it should be 60-80 square feet.  There is little species diversity.   Most of the native shortleaf pines, impervious to the red oak borer, were cut-out early in the last century, leaving mostly oaks.

Generally, the site index in the Highlands is around 60, indicative of  poor sites with thin soils.  Most of the oaks in the area are over 80 years old, very old for these species on these difficult sites.  But the land is susceptible to drought, which most recently occurred in 1998 and 1999 followed by a knock-out in 2000.  During these latest droughts, millions of oaks were stressed, and the red oak borer population skyrocketed.  Red oak borers have infested millions of upland oaks, in most cases weakening or killing the trees and creating hazardous fuel accumulations.

We are working with the USDA Forest Service to estimate the extent of the forest health problem.  Current estimates range from 400,000 to 1,000,000 acres of dead or dying oaks in the Ozark Highlands.

THE WILDFIRE HAZARD

These millions of oak trees were recently providing food and shelter for wildlife, and protecting air quality and water quality for communities.  These trees are now fuel, cured “on the stump” and ready to burn.

There has always been fuel on the floor of the Ozark Highlands, but the recent infestation has created a tremendous upsurge in the fuel buildup.  Before the red oak mortality, the Ozark Highlands averaged approximately four tons of fuel per acre.  Today, the average fuel loading is approximately 14 tons per acre.

In addition to a 350% increase in the fuel loading, the nature of the fuel has changed. Before the red oak decline, the primary component of fuel in the Ozark Highlands was hardwood leaves.  Wildland firefighters could contain these wildfires relatively quickly and easily.  But with much larger amounts of hot-burning oak fuel on the ground, wildfires in the area will be much more difficult to contain and extinguish.  Firefighting efforts will take longer, and average fire size will likely increase.  These wildfire conditions will persist for many years.

The State Foresters in the Ozark Highlands region have sufficient firefighting equipment in place to fight wildfires on private lands in the fuels that existed before the upland oak mortality.  The equipment is not adequate to protect homes, lives, and property when fires erupt with the current fuel loads.

Wildfires that are larger, hotter, and burn longer are more dangerous.  Property and natural resources are at increased risk, as are the lives of civilians and firefighters.  Many State Foresters, including this one, have endured the heartbreak of a workmate killed when fighting wildfire.  Working together, the State Foresters of the Ozark Highlands region and the US Congress should take reasonable actions to reduce wildfire risks.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To safely and effectively suppress wildland fires in the Ozarks, the State Foresters in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma need to upgrade their firefighting equipment.  The equipment will be used primarily for firefighting on private land.  State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service will continue to routinely cooperate in detecting and fighting wildfires on Federal land.

The State Foresters report that at current prices, the equipment upgrades in the three affected States will cost approximately $2,352,000: $1,440,000 for Arkansas, $625,000 for Missouri, and $287,000 for Oklahoma. We are looking for assistance, not a handout.  NASF also recognizes that there are many demands on the Federal budget.

Accordingly, I recommend that the parties equally share the costs.  If Congress provides $1,176,000, the three States will match that amount in proportion to their needs.

In addition to State forestry agencies, rural fire departments—many of which are volunteer—are also in need of firefighting equipment upgrades.  These fire departments are not part of the State agencies and do not receive State appropriations.  Importantly, procedural changes to a most critical program that helps equip rural fire departments with Federal Excess Personal Property has drastically reduced the amount of property available to State Foresters, and thus to local fire departments, for use in their fire programs.  We are working with Congressman Mike Ross to introduce legislation that would eliminate this problem, and we need this Subcommittee’s support.

CONCLUSION

NASF looks forward to the opportunity to work with the Subcommittee.  Our efforts should focus on dealing with the increased wildfire hazard in the short-term and restoring Ozark Highlands ecosystem health in the long-term. We are glad to work with you and the Subcommittee staff toward these ends.  We commend Chairwoman Lincoln and the Subcommittee members for their interest in the health of the nation’s forests.