Mississippi is facing the largest outbreak of the Southern Pine Beetle in nearly 20 years, and the state Forestry Commission says the infestation could wreak havoc on the state’s timber industry. MPB’s Daniel Cherry reports how forestry officials are doing all they can to keep the bugs at bay.
Deep in the Homochitto National Forest in Southwest Mississippi, Dave Chabreck with the U.S. Forest Service in Franklin County, is looking for pine beetles in some infested trees. As Chabreck pulls a chunk of bark loose from the tree, the underside is riddled with tracks left by the beetles as they eat their way through the pine.
It’s an unwelcome sight, growing more common in Southwest Mississippi. Randy Chapin is State Forest Health Coordinator with the Mississippi Forestry Commission. At the field office in Brookhaven, Chapin points out the affected areas on a huge map…they show up as multi-colored dots.
“Every dot on this map was an active spot found by the air. You’re looking at 500 spots on the Homochitto National Forest,” Chapin said.
Forestry officials monitor for pine beetles every year but they say nothing gave them any indication the outbreak would blow up like it has, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, the infestation is twice as bad as initially thought.
From Mississippi Public Broadcasting: https://mpbonline.org/News/article/701forestry_officials_fighting_largest_pine_beetle_outbreak_in_16_years