Sub-Issue 8: Silvicultural Benefits of Prescribed Fire...Ecosystem 35 Management for Sustainability:...

West Virginia Statewide Forest Resource Assessment 2010

244 Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 5 Wildfire Management

Sub-Issue 8 Silvicultural Benefits of Prescribed Fire

Fire was once an important naturally-occurring component of several forested ecosystems In the early 20th century efforts to suppress damaging wildfires resulted in dramatic change in these ecosystems as virtually all fire was excluded including that which occurred naturally

In recent decades fire regimes in the south have changed once again through the re-introduction of fire in the form of prescribed burns Since the 1970s prescribed burning has become an integral part of forest management in the south Although prescribed burns have been used by foresters to reduce hazardous fuels since the turn of the century its use for other management objectives was not well accepted until much later Today public agencies are well aware of the integral role of fire in forested ecosystems and prescribed fire is applied to almost 4 million forested acres in the South each year (Wade and Lunsford 1988)

Most of the operational guidelines for using prescribed fire in forests were developed in the flatwoods of the deep South Early studies there showed the benefits of prescribed burning in the maintenance of longleaf pine and bobwhite quail habitat (VanLear and Waldrop 1989) For decades now prescribed burning has been used in these flatwoods for hardwood control fuel reduction seedbed preparation and wildlife habitat maintenance (Buckner and Turrill 1999)

Prescribed fire has not been widely used in the southern Appalachians as compared to other areas in the South Due to its highly variable topography fire behavior is much more erratic in this region and operational guidelines developed in the southern flatwoods do not apply Also the benefits of prescribed burns in southern Appalachian forests where hardwoods predominate are not yet fully understood (Van Lear and Waldrop 1989) Buckner and Turill (1999) state that establishing parameters (both fuel and weather conditions) and firing techniques for using fire for ecological and other management benefits in the southern Appalachians should be a major concern of federal agencies in this region

The use of prescribed fire in the southern Appalachians tends to differ according to land ownership State agencies use prescribed fire primarily for silvicultural objectives The US Forest Service uses prescribed fire in ecosystem management to achieve certain desired ecosystem conditions In contrast the National Park Service takes a more protective approach to land management and invasive actions such as prescribed fires have been rarely used until recently (Buckner and Turrill 1999)

The Appalachian (Allegheny Highlands) Fire Learning Network (refer to previous sub-issue) engages federal state and private land management organizations in a collaborative effort to enhance the capacity to implement ecological fire management in the Central Appalachian Forest Western Allegheny Plateau Cumberland Plateau and Southern Ridge and Valley eco-regions Together these eco-regions include portions of six states including 763221 acres in Virginia and West Virginia (Map 523) They are characterized by rolling and mountainous terrain hardwood and mixed pine-hardwood forest pine-oak-heath shrub lands and woodlands small-patch grasslands including hillside prairies and cedar glades The goal is to return this type of forest land back to its natural state which at one point was dependent upon regular fire activity for species survival It is also interesting to note that prescribed burns in recent years on both the Monongahela National Forest and the Fernow Experimental Forest shows significant promise in helping to establish oak regeneration on various sites


Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 5 Wildfire Management 245

Sub-Issue 9 Property Values in the Wildland-Urban Interface

As cities and urban populations continue to increase there has been considerable development in rural areas of West Virginia As this interest grows property and land values increase The Division of Forestry estimates that the damage caused by a typical wildfire is approximately $300 per acre Currently however most wildfire damage is confined to natural resources such as timber As personal property values (primarily houses and related structures) increase in the wildland-urban interface there will be a corresponding increase in the economic damage caused by wildfires (Map 524)

Map 524 Structure density in rural areas of West Virginia (WVDOF GIS 2009 using data from WV GIS Technical Center 2009 e)



Issue 5 Priority Areas

Although there are many places in West Virginia with wildfire potential the following two areas have been identified as ldquoPriority Areasrdquo for the fire program covering the time period of this assessment

1 14 Hot counties in the southern coal fields (Map 54)

Year after year over 50 percent of all the fires and over 90 percent of the acreage burned in the state occur in this area Most fires in this area are caused by debris burning and incendiary actions Fire investigators are based in these areas due to the high fire occurrence

The topography of this area contributes directly to the size and duration of fires which occur there These areas can be very remote and difficult to access The steep terrain makes it difficult to construct fire breaks by hand or by mechanical means The steep terrain allows for fires to grow in size and move rapidly up and down slopes This area of the state is also where the majority of the mining activity occurs which results in the occurrence of mine breaks and mine break fires 2 The Eastern Panhandle (Map 510 Potomac Highlands Counties) This area serves as the initial project area for the Hazard Mitigation and Wildland Urban Interface program and is where WVDOF has prepared most of the Community Wildfire Protection Plans This area of the state shows the greatest potential for future population growth and increases in property values The influx of people from the greater Washington DC Baltimore area has led to an increase in housing development within the wildland-urban interface



Bibliography

Buckner E R and N L Turrill 1999 Fire management In Peine J (ed) Ecosystem 35 Management for Sustainability principals and practices illustrated by a regional biosphere reserve cooperative CRC Press London 500 pp Chavez Quinn 2009 Personal communications regarding ldquofire_finalziprdquo containing NA Wildfire Risk Assessment data United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Northern Research Station Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry

Darnell Richard 2009 Personal communications regarding Mine Break locations to Ben Webster WVDOF fall 2009 West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

Fisher Keith 2010 The Fire Learning Network US and WVVA maps The Nature Conservancy

Riemann Rachel T Lister A Lister D Meneguzzo and S Parks 2009 a Development of issue-relevant state level analyses of fragmentation and urbanization In McWilliams Will Moisen Gretchen Czaplewski Ray comps Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Symposium 2008 October 21-23 2008 Park City UT Proc RMRS-P-56CD Fort Collins CO USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station 24 p GIS grid ldquonrs_psizerc ldquoaccessed at ftpftp2fsfedusincomingnagisAssessmentsForest_FragRiemann

Riemann Rachel T Lister A Lister D Meneguzzo and S Parks 2009 b Development of issue-relevant state level analyses of fragmentation and urbanization In McWilliams Will Moisen Gretchen Czaplewski Ray comps Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Symposium 2008 October 21-23 2008 Park City UT Proc RMRS-P-56CD Fort Collins CO US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station 24 p GIS grid ldquoNRS_dist2rds ldquoaccessed at ftpftp2fsfedusincomingnagisAssessmentsForest_FragRiemann

Theobald DM and WH Romme 2007 Expansion of the US wildland-urban interface Landscape and Urban Plan 83(4)340ndash354

USDA FS ndash FIA 2008 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program amp Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC) Conterminous US and Alaska Forest Type Mapping Using Forest Inventory and Analysis Data available at lthttpsvinetfc4fsfedusrastergatewayforest_typegt USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry2009 SampPF Grids



Van Lear D H and T A Waldrop 1989 History use and effects of fire in the Appalachians USDA Forest Service Southeast Forest Experiment Station General Technical Report SEndash54 Asheville NC

Wade Dale D JD Lunsford and MJ Dixon 1989 A guide for prescribed fire in southern forests rewritten in 1988 Technical publication R8 TP 11 USDA Forest Service Southern Region Atlanta Ga

WVDOF GIS 2009 a Weather Stations WVDOF GIS 2009 b 14 ldquoHotrdquo Counties WVDOF GIS 2009 c Number of Fires by County 1987-2009 WVDOF GIS 2009 d Acres Burned by County 1987-2009 WVDOF GIS 2009 e Repeat Burn Areas 1999-2009 WVDOF GIS 2009 f Community Wildfire Protection Plans WVDOF GIS 2009 g County Summary of Patches frac14 Mile From Roads WVDOF 2009 Wildland Fire Occurrence Database 1987-2009 WV GIS Technical Center 2009 a ldquoarmyReserveFacilities_WVNG_200502_utm83shprdquo downloaded September 2009 available at httpwvgiswvuedudatadataphp WV GIS Technical Center 2009 b ldquofireDepartments_manySources_200809_utm83shprdquo downloaded September 2009 available at httpwvgiswvuedudatadataphp WV GIS Technical Center 2009 c ldquoairports_WVDOT_1998_utm83shprdquo downloaded September 2009 available at httpwvgiswvuedudatadataphp WV GIS Technical Center 2009 d ldquocorrectionalFacilities_manySources_2008_utm83shprdquo downloaded September 2009 available at httpwvgiswvuedudatadataphp WV GIS Technical Center 2009 e ldquostructurePointsNorth_SAMB_2003_utm83shprdquo and ldquostructurePointsSouth_SAMB_2003_utm83shprdquo downloaded June 2009 available at httpwvgiswvuedudatadataphp


Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 6 Sustainability of Urban Forests 249

Issue 6 Sustainability of Urban Forests

The West Virginia Division of Forestryrsquos Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) program has been working with cities and communities to manage important urban forest resources since 1991 The WVDOF recognizes the significant role urban trees play in enhancing the quality of life for all West Virginians The WVDOFrsquos urban forestry activities include helping build program capacity at the municipal level conserving energy and mitigating climate extremes reducing the impacts of urban growth and loss of forest land maintaining and improving water and air quality conserving green spaces and enhancing canopy cover in urban areas

Sub-Issue 1 Building Program Capacity at the Community Level

The cornerstone of the UCF program is building and enhancing municipal tree care programs Efforts to foster this capacity include technical assistance skills training financial assistance and a variety of specifically targeted programs Experience shows that communities must develop the infrastructure necessary to support an urban forestry program in order to have long-term success A starting point for success is for communities to achieve three of the basic standards required for the Tree City USA award These standards are creating an advocacy group passing a tree ordinance and establishing a tree care budget Two additional steps toward becoming an actively managing municipality are defined and tracked by the USFS Community Accomplishment Reporting System (CARS) These steps are the development of a tree inventory with a corresponding management plan and the addition of a professional staff The UCF program strives to assist communities with the implementation of these five elements of success

Assessment Methods

The assessment method to determine communities with the greatest priority needs involves summing their reclassified values for the presence of six input criteria (see below) The Maryland Method identifies communities with greater than state average populations urbanized areas and impervious cover with less than state average existing canopy cover Additional criteria of equal value are the absence of an advocacy group a tree ordinance or a management plan These tools of comprehensive urban tree management are the most critical to long-term success and were consequently given the greatest significance The final criterion is the absence of a professional staff This was given the least significance since many West Virginia communities have excellent urban forestry programs without professional staff Often they are financially unable to employ a professional forester or arborist Instead this need is met through professionals volunteering to serve on local tree boards and through assistance from WVDOF Criterion 1 ndash Maryland Method of Criteria = 4 - Reclassified to 3 Criterion 2 ndash Maryland Method of Criteria = 3 - Reclassified to 2 Criterion 3 ndash CARS - No Advocacy group - Reclassified to 2 Criterion 4 ndash CARS - No Ordinance - Reclassified to 2 Criterion 5 ndash CARS - No InventoryManagement plan - Reclassified to 2 Criterion 6 ndash CARS - No Professional staff - Reclassified to 1


250 Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 6 Sustainability of Urban Forests

The 30 communities with the highest priority needs for assistance with urban forestry programs are identified in Map 61 and Table 61

Map 61 Location of top priority communities in West Virginia for Building Program Capacity at the Local Level (WVDOF GIS 2009) Table 61 Ranking of the 30 top priority communities in West Virginia for Building Program Capacity at the Local Level

Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Chesapeake 1 Pea Ridge (CDP) 11 Spencer 21 Moundsville 2 Chester 12 Monongah 22 Paden City 3 Bancroft 13 Point Pleasant 23 Wellsburg 4 Weston 14 Pratt 24 Sistersville 5 Fairmont 15 Nutter Fort 25 Westover 6 Belmont 16 Sophia 26 Dunbar 7 New Martinsville 17 Mason 27 Ridgeley 8 Newell (CDP) 18 Beckley 28 Keyser 9 Stonewood 19 Nitro 29 Star City 10 Princeton 20 Poca 30



Sub-Issue 2 Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Conservation

According to a 2001 US Environmental Protection Agency report on climate change the average temperature in Charleston West Virginia has increased 11degF over the past century and precipitation has increased by up to 10 percent in many parts of the state

Even more dramatic changes are possible based on projected increases in levels of carbon dioxide methane nitrous oxide and aerosols according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Data from the HadCM2 climate model indicates that over the next century temperatures in West Virginia could increase by 1 to 6degF Precipitation may increase by as much as 10-30 percent (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2001)

Much is still uncertain regarding the future extent of climate change in West Virginia However trees and surrounding forests will certainly continue to play a significant role in mitigating seasonal temperature changes and energy consumption in communities Strategically planted trees in urban areas provide many direct benefits relevant to climate change including shade for buildings and air conditioning units increased pervious surface area carbon storage reduced storm water runoff and a reduction in energy used for heating and cooling These same urban trees will indirectly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-based power plants as energy demands for heating and cooling are lowered This reduction of carbon emissions from power plants could be four times greater than direct carbon storage over the life of a mature tree (Nowak 1993)

West Virginians are fortunate that approximately 80 percent of the state is covered by forests Rural and urban residents benefit tremendously from living in close proximity to an abundance of trees However many additional and significant benefits could be realized simply by increasing the canopy cover in communities Several West Virginia communities have conducted inventories to identify available planting spaces and are working to optimize tree planting on these sites Many more municipalities need to assess existing canopy cover set goals and begin strategic tree planting programs to minimize the potential effects of future climate change

Assessment Methods

To prioritize urban areas for climate change mitigation and energy conservation efforts three criteria were created as summarized below Criterion 1 ndash Communities with a Priority Planting Index (PPI) of gt 59 percent (mean PPI) ndash

Reclassified to 6

Criterion 2 - Development Level of gt 1 (mean) housing unitacre ndash Reclassified to 2

Criterion 3 ndash Forest Cover of lt 56 percent (mean) within frac12 mile of polygon perimeter expressed

as percent of land area by community ndash Reclassified to 2

The Priority Planting Index (PPI) incorporates population density canopy green space and tree canopy per capita into one index and received the greatest reclassified value of 6 This layer



identifies areas with low existing canopy cover and greater than average population densities and identifies communities with the most potential to increase canopy cover per capita Higher than average Development Levels (reclassified with values of 2) are indicative of areas with high and increasing carbon emissions high energy demands and great need for strategic tree planting It has been determined that increasing canopy cover to 30 percent will provide 66 percent as much cooling to a site as full vegetation coverage (Coder 1996) Surrounding Forest Cover is a measure of the capacity of adjacent forest lands to store large amounts of carbon and buffer residents from climate changes Communities with less than average surrounding forest cover were reclassified with values of 2 Using the above criteria 30 communities in the state were identified as priority areas for climate change mitigation and energy conservation efforts (Map 62 and Table 62)

Map 62 Locations of high priority communities in West Virginia for climate change mitigation and energy conservation efforts (WVDOF GIS 2009)



Table 62 The 30 highest priority communities in West Virginia for climate change mitigation and energy conservation efforts

Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Chesapeake 1 Vienna 11 Athens 21 Corporation of Ranson 2 Kenova 12 Fairmont 22 Huntington 3 Dunbar 13 Belmont 23 Paden City 4 Ridgeley 14 Middlebourne 24 St Albans 5 Parkersburg 15 Buckhannon 25 Wellsburg 6 Star City 16 Masontown 26 Windsor Heights 7 Pea Ridge (CDP) 17 Williamstown 27 Sistersville 8 Morgantown 18 Shepherdstown 28 Westover 9 Chester 19 Elkins 29 Martinsburg 10 Bancroft 20 Ravenswood 30

Sub-Issue 3 Population Dynamics and Resource Allocation

Population estimates for 2008 from the US Census Bureau indicate that West Virginiarsquos total population has remained relatively static since 2000 increasing by only 03 percent Of the 14 municipalities with a population greater than 10000 only Martinsburg (12 percent increase) and Morgantown (10 percent increase) have experienced population growth since 2000 In fact the other 12 largest cities have all experienced a decrease in population some significantly Charleston the statersquos largest city has seen a decrease in population by an average 400 residents per year since 2000 and may fall below 50000 residents by 2010

The same trends can be observed at the county level with only eight of the statersquos 55 counties having noteworthy population growth All but two of these counties are in the Eastern Panhandle with Berkeley (26 percent increase) Jefferson (18 percent increase) Hampshire (11 percent increase) and Morgan (eight percent increase) showing the largest increases Accordingly these counties are seeing the greatest rise in urban development with housing units increasing by 25 percent in Berkeley 21 percent in Jefferson 16 percent in Morgan and 12 percent in Hampshire Modest growth occurred around Morgantown as Monongalia County increased in population by seven percent and housing units by four percent In the Kanawha Valley Putnam County had a population increase of seven percent and an eight percent increase in housing units Counties adjacent to Monongalia and Putnam had very little population change and some experienced decreasing population (US Census Bureau 2008)

The population dynamics of West Virginia present several unique challenges to the delivery of urban forestry programs The Eastern Panhandle and Morgantown are experiencing rapid urbanization and will need to be specifically targeted with resources to address issues including the loss of forest land decreasing canopy cover threatened watersheds wildland urban interface (WUI) risk and other impacts of urban development These regions have been highlighted by the Maryland Method in Sub-Issue 1 and will benefit tremendously through strategies identified in other issues However it is equally important to deliver services to other regions of the state for the benefit of citizens of more rural communities The vast majority of West Virginiarsquos



residents live in rural areas and communities of less than 5000 people Often these areas face severe economic challenges including lower household income levels higher unemployment rates strained municipal budgets and inadequate tree care resources The result is a substantial need to provide financial and technical assistance to enhance urban forestry efforts in these regions The challenge will be to determine how to invest limited resources while answering the question ldquoWhere does it matter most in West Virginiardquo

Assessment Methods

The assessment method for this sub-issue is intended to identify smaller communities with economic roadblocks to establishing urban forestry programs The WVDOF seeks a balance between addressing the needs of regions undergoing significant development while still bringing the benefits of urban forestry to a majority of West Virginiarsquos citizens that live in small communities The regions experiencing rapid urbanization were previously identified and prioritized in Sub-Issue 1

Criterion 1 ndash Communities with population lt than 10000 - Reclassified to 3

Criterion 2 ndash Median household incomes lt than State average of $29696 - Reclassified to 2

Criterion 3 ndash CARS - No Advocacy group - Reclassified to 2

Criterion 4 ndash CARS - No Ordinance - Reclassified to 2

Criterion 5 ndash CARS - No InventoryManagement plan - Reclassified to 1

Using the above assessment methods 30 smaller communities within the state were identified as high-priority areas for urban forestry resource allocation (Map 63 and Table 63)

Urban tree in Ritter Park Huntington West Virginia (Dave Fattaleh WV Department of Commerce (retired))



Map 63 Location of highest priority smaller population communities in West Virginia for urban forestry resource allocation needs (WVDOF GIS 2009) Table 63 Top 30 smaller population communities in West Virginia with the highest priority for urban forestry resource allocation needs

Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Chesapeake 1 Bancroft 11 Spencer 21 Moundsville 2 Weston 12 Monongah 22 Wellsburg 3 Piedmont 13 Hamlin 23 Windsor Heights 4 Belmont 14 Point Pleasant 24 Sistersville 5 Middlebourne 15 Sophia 25 Westover 6 Masontown 16 Mason 26 Ridgeley 7 West Union 17 West Liberty 27 Keyser 8 Stonewood 18 Hambleton 28 Star City 9 Princeton 19 Mannington 29 Chester 10 Elizabeth 20 Chapmanville 30



Sub-Issue 4 Air Quality

West Virginia has 10 counties and portions of two additional counties that currently do not meet US Environmental Protection Agency Standards for air quality known as ldquoNon-attainment Areasrdquo The current federal standard for particulate matter less than 25 micrometers in size is no more than 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over a 24-hour period and an annual mean of no more than 15 micrograms per cubic meter Counties not in compliance with this standard are Marshall Ohio Brooke and Hancock in the northern panhandle Kanawha Putnam Cabell Mason and Wayne in the Kanawha Valley Wood and Pleasants along the Ohio River and Berkeley in the eastern panhandle Not surprisingly these regions are the most industrialized and contain some of the most densely populated urban centers in the state (US Environmental Protection Agency 2008)

On the positive side West Virginia only exceeds federal standards in one category of air pollutant -- particulate matter less than 25 micrometers The statersquos air quality is within US EPA standards for other common pollutants including carbon dioxide nitrogen dioxide ozone sulfur dioxide particulate matter between 25 and 10 micrometers and lead However other counties are close to exceeding federal standards for some of these pollutants and may do so within the next decade if action isnrsquot taken soon (US Environmental Protection Agency 2008)

On the negative side additional airborne pollutants are currently present at hazardous levels in population centers with significant industrial development In 2007 there were 78 West Virginia facilities involved in a reported release incident of one of 20 known EPA carcinogens Potential community exposure to these 20 chemicals was estimated through modeling within four distinct geographic zones Belle CharlestonSouth Charleston Institute and Nitro The study was designed to provide an initial understanding of selected toxic pollutants which are present in the ambient environment of the Kanawha Valley to identify possible sources of these pollutants and to provide a sense of the nature and relative priority of potential health risks associated with public exposure to these chemicals The pollutants of greatest concern were identified as chloroform (Belle) ethylene oxide acrylonitrile (both at Charleston) ethylene oxide and 13 butadiene (both at Institute) The study estimates that current exposure levels to these pollutants will cause a range of increased lifetime cancer risk as high as 5 in 1000 in some neighborhoods and as low as 6 in 1000000 in other areas (US EPA Kanawha Valley toxics Screening Study 2008)

Urban tree planting programs can be part of the solution for certain air quality problems Trees within communities as well as surrounding forest land have significant capacity to filter and reduce particulate matter and airborne pollutants UFORE (Urban Forest Effects) modeling developed by Dr Nowak of the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station estimates that urban trees in Morgantown remove 60 metric tons of air pollutants every year providing an annual benefit to the city of $311000 West Virginians would realize many health and environmental benefits from efforts to increase urban canopy cover and conserve adjacent forests (Nowak 2006)



Assessment Methods

This assessment method prioritizes areas based on current levels of air pollution population density and the need for increased tree canopy cover using the following four criteria

Criterion 1 - Communities within EPA particulate matter area (lt 25 μm) - Reclassified to 3

Criterion 2 - Priority Planting Index of gt 59 percent (mean PPI) Reclassified to 3

Criterion 3 - Communities within 5 miles of a facility releasing one of 20 known EPA carcinogens in 2007 ndash Reclassified to 2

Criterion 4 - Forest cover lt 56 percent (mean) within frac12 mile of polygon perimeter expressed as percent of land area by community - Reclassified to 2

EPA non-attainment areas for particulate matter and areas within 5 miles of facilities releasing toxic airborne pollutants indicate regions of immediate concern The Priority Planting Index incorporates population density canopy green space and tree canopy per capita focusing planting efforts in areas that would receive the greatest air quality benefits from an increased canopy cover Communities with below-average acres of surrounding forest land have a diminished capacity to filter airborne pollutants This assessment method will direct resources into regions with the greatest potential for air-quality improvement from strategic tree planting and forest conservation (Map 64 and Table 64)

Map 64 Location of areas in West Virginia with the highest priority needs for urban forestry projects to improve air quality (WVDOF GIS 2009)



Table 64 Top 30 communities in West Virginia with the highest priority needs for urban forestry projects to improve air quality

Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Place Name Rank

Chesapeake 1 Williamstown 11 Cross Lanes (CDP) 21

Huntington 2 East Bank 12 New Haven 22 St Albans 3 Glen Dale 13 Buffalo 23 Wellsburg 4 Nitro 14 Inwood (CDP) 24 Martinsburg 5 Poca 15 Moundsville 25 Dunbar 6 South Charleston 16 McMechen 26 Parkersburg 7 Jefferson 17 Windsor Heights 27 Pea Ridge (CDP) 8 Belle 18 Vienna 28 Bancroft 9 Follansbee 19 Kenova 29 Belmont 10 Eleanor 20 Chester 30

Sub-Issue 5 Public Drinking Water Quality and Quantity

Community water systems (CWS) typically operated by municipalities supplied drinking water to 82 percent of West Virginians in 2008 Drinking water sources are classified as either a) surface water including streams rivers lakes and impoundments or b) ground water from sub-surface aquifers Approximately 80 percent of CWS customers in West Virginia receive drinking water from a surface source and the remaining 20 percent from ground water sources These numerous surface and ground water resources are increasingly threatened by a variety of pollutants and contaminants from many sources

Health-based violations of drinking water standards reported to the US EPA in West Virginia impacted 148356 citizens in 2008 representing 10 percent of all CWS customers (US Environmental Protection Agency 2008)

Some of the most problematic threats to safe drinking water in West Virginia involve contamination from fecal coliform bacteria and acid mine drainage Many state waters contain elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria Contributors to the problem include leaking or overflowing sewage collection systems illegal homeowner sewage discharges failing septic systems runoff from urban or residential areas and discharge from agricultural lands Based on probabilistic data about 17 percent of the stream miles in the state have fecal coliform bacteria levels that exceed the criterion of 400 colonies100mL Watersheds in the more urbanized regions of the state have a greater proportion of stream miles exceeding this fecal coliform limit Drinking water sources with mine drainage tributaries are often impaired by low pH andor elevated concentrations of metals including iron aluminum and manganese Other dissolved ions such as sulfate may also be present in concentrations above ambient levels A sulfate concentration greater than 50 mgL is indicative of sites influenced by mine drainage Following this guideline approximately 18 percent of the stream miles statewide are influenced by mine drainage (WVDEP 2008)



Population centers with a large portion of the land area covered by impervious surfaces are also major contributors of contaminants and sedimentation to drinking water sources These pollutants include sewage motor oil deicing salt fossil fuels antifreeze heavy metals fertilizers pesticides and many other toxic chemicals Additionally a concentration of impervious surfaces negatively impacts ground water by causing storm water to overwhelm municipal drainage systems with little water infiltrating to recharge ground water reserves According to the WV Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) a 15 percent reduction in porous ground surface area in a watershed will increase flooding and damage habitat water quality biological diversity and stream bank stability (WVDEP 2009)

This is of particular concern in communities utilizing combined sewer overflows where both storm water and sewage is carried in the same pipe Under normal discharge rates these combined drains separate sewage from storm water and direct it to treatment facilities During storm events these systems are rapidly inundated and discharge untreated sewage into surface waters The WVDEP estimates that 390000 state residents live in 56 communities where combined sewer overflows routinely contaminate drinking water sources (WVDEP 2006)

Of special concern are West Virginiarsquos Potomac tributaries that drain into the Chesapeake Bay The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia is developing faster than any other region of the state making improving water quality a priority In June 2002 Governor Bob Wise signed the Chesapeake Bay Program Water Quality Initiative Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and committed West Virginia to nutrient and sediment load reductions The West Virginia Potomac Tributary Strategy developed in November 2005 includes plans for nutrient and sediment reductions from a variety of West Virginia point and nonpoint sources The Chesapeake Bay is impaired by nutrients and sediment from multiple sources originating locally and in upstream states This large and biologically diverse water body is an important economic and recreational resource The desire to restore the Bay is a high priority for many agencies organizations and the public in general Fourteen percent of West Virginiarsquos waters drain into the Potomac River and on into the Chesapeake Bay (WVDEP 2008)

Planting additional urban trees employing wise land use practices and maintaining forested riparian buffers will significantly improve drinking water sources while helping to protect critical watersheds like the Chesapeake Bay Increasing canopy cover over impervious surfaces is a key role urban forestry can play to mitigate storm water runoff slow water flow within urban areas promote groundwater infiltration and reduce flooding while decreasing contaminants entering the statersquos waters Many positive economic benefits would also result from municipal forestry efforts including reduced cost of flood control structures reduced road and property damage less expensive drinking water treatment and greater recreational opportunities

Assessment Methods

High priority areas for focusing water quality improvement efforts were determined by analyzing four weighted criteria Communities located within US EPA 303(d) watersheds (Reclass = 4) supply public drinking water from an impaired source and are targeted by this assessment Impervious surfaces greater than 15 percent (Reclass = 3) indicate areas where urban development can significantly impact water quality Less-than-average adjacent forest cover (Reclass = 2) reflects a reduced buffering capacity and negative impacts to water resources Finally communities located along a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay (Reclass = 1) will receive



special attention due to the high priority placed on this valuable resource The criteria are summarized below

Criterion 1 ndash Communities within a US EPA 303(d) impaired watershed - Reclassified to 4

Criterion 2 ndash Communities with impervious surfaces gt 15 percent of total area - Reclassified to3

Criterion 3 ndash Forest cover of lt 56 percent (mean) within frac12 mile of polygon perimeter expressed as percent of land area by community ndash Reclassified to 2

Criterion 4 ndash Communities within the Chesapeake Bay drainage - Reclassified to 1

Based on the above criteria 30 areas were identified as having the highest priority needs to improve public drinking water quality and quantity (Map 65 and Table 65)

Map 65 Location of high priority areas for efforts to improve public drinking water quality and quantity in West Virginia (WVDOF GIS 2009)



Table 65 Top 30 high priority areas for efforts to improve public drinking water quality and quantity in West Virginia

Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Shepherdstown 1 East Bank 11 Bruceton Mills 21 Franklin 2 Glen Dale 12 Union 22 Chesapeake 3 Mason 13 MacArthur (CDP) 23 Westover 4 Jefferson 14 Bath (Berkeley Springs) 24 Vienna 5 Follansbee 15 Romney 25 Dunbar 6 Friendly 16 Paw Paw 26 Pea Ridge (CDP) 7 Jane Lew 17 McMechen 27 Chester 8 Eleanor 18 Paden City 28 Masontown 9 Peterstown 19 West Union 29 Newell (CDP) 10 Mabscott 20 Hamlin 30

Sub-Issue 6 Recreation

West Virginians are fortunate to live in a state with abundant forest recreation opportunities Most urban centers are less than an hour drive from one of 40 state managed parks or forests that provide opportunities for hiking camping mountain biking hunting fishing canoeing caving rock climbing and other activities Additionally 14 million acres representing eight percent of the states total land area are managed by the WV Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section for public wildlife-associated recreation The Monongahela National Forest provides a variety of recreation settings and opportunities and consists of over 919911 acres of federally-managed land in 10 West Virginia counties Small portions of the Jefferson and George Washington National Forests also lie within the borders of West Virginia (See sub-issue 6 Public Lands within Issue 3 Forest Sustainability for more information about public lands)

Outdoor recreation within urbanized areas is also important and usually occurs in parks open spaces and along a variety of trails and riparian corridors Adequate green infrastructure is not only vital for urban recreation but also significantly contributes to social values public health education economic development community image and critical environmental functions This infrastructure can be created and enhanced through urban forestry efforts that include community assessments management plans green spaces and trail networks

An excellent recreational opportunity exists with the many miles of abandoned railroad lines that lie within or connect to many communities Over 25 rails-to-trails projects have been successfully completed in West Virginia and there are many more additional segments with potential for development These trails provide a unique recreational resource with gentle or level grades and wide rights-of-way suitable for multiple uses including walking bicycling and horseback riding With bridges over streams and tunnels through hills rail-trails also offer clear and easy means to negotiate geographic obstacles Rail-trails can also serve as non-motorized transportation corridors between communities and often follow riparian corridors that provide access to surrounding forests (WV Rails to Trails Council 2009)

Developing communities will experience increasing demands for urban recreation Urban forestry can play a role by providing technical and financial assistance to encourage



municipalities to designate new green spaces and to improve existing parks arboretums and trail systems Investing in urban recreation will afford communities many additional environmental benefits addressed in previously described sub-issues A recent study of urban parks by The Trust for Public Land identified the following linkages between specific types of recreational areas and the environmental impacts 1) bike paths river parkways and rail-trails reduced non-motorized transportation and reduced carbon emissions from vehicles 2) neighborhood parks river parkways and city parks provided pedestrian-accessible urban parks also reducing carbon emissions from transportation 3) river parkways neighborhood parks city parks storm water ponds and community gardens increase permeable surface area ground water recharge and storm water retention positively impacting water quality 4) neighborhood parks city parks river parkways wetlands urban forests and school campuses stored significant amounts of carbon while reducing energy consumption due to a mitigation of heat island effects (ICF International 2008)

Assessment Methods

The assessment method for identifying recreation priority areas is based on a combination of assessments done for Sub-Issues 1 through 5 Recreational demand was estimated by identifying population centers and land features from the results of Sub-Issue 1 The correlation between recreation areas and the potential to positively impact climate change and energy consumption was determined from Sub-Issue 2 Opportunities for improving air quality and water quality and quantity by developing and preserving parks riparian areas and trails are represented in Sub-Issues 4 and 5 Different methods were used to assess larger urban areas and smaller communities Maps 66 and 67 as well as Tables 66 and 67 identify priority areas for recreation as part of the following combined assessment

Street tree scene in the city of Parkersburg West Virginia (Ron Snow WV Department of Commerce)



Issue 6 Combined Assessments Methods and Priority Areas

Combined Assessment 1 ndash Identifying Large Urbanized Priority Areas

The assessment method to prioritize larger urban areas is summarized below by combining high priority areas for the following sub-issues

Criterion 1 ndash High priority communities of Sub-Issue 1 analysis Building Program Capacity at the Community Level - Reclassified to 1

Criterion 2 ndash High priority communities of Sub-Issue 2 analysis Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Conservation - Reclassified to 1

Criterion 3 ndash High priority communities of Sub-Issue 4 analysis Air Quality - Reclassified to 1

Criterion 4 ndash High priority communities of Sub-Issue 5 analysis Public drinking water qualityquantity - Reclassified to 1

Map 66 Locations of large high priority urban areas in West Virginia based on composite scores from Sub-Issues 1 2 4 and 5 (WVDOF GIS 2009)



Table 66 Top 50 large high priority urban areas in West Virginia

Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Chesapeake 1 Friendly 18 Belle 35 Dunbar 2 Franklin 19 Clarksburg 36 Pea Ridge (CDP) 3 Mabscott 20 McMechen 37 Jefferson 4 Huntington 21 Ridgeley 38 East Bank 5 Masontown 22 Williamstown 39 Chester 6 Poca 23 Beverly 40 Newell (CDP) 7 Hurricane 24 New Haven 41 Glen Dale 8 Jane Lew 25 Milton 42 Westover 9 Peterstown 26 Union 43 Mason 10 Bruceton Mills 27 Sistersville 44 Eleanor 11 Paden City 28 Ravenswood 45 Wellsburg 12 Windsor Heights 29 New Martinsville 46 Bancroft 13 Martinsburg 30 Bolivar 47 Belmont 14 Vienna 31 Stonewood 48 Nitro 15 Star City 32 Princeton 49 South Charleston 16 Fairmont 33 Point Pleasant 50 Follansbee 17 Nutter Fort 34

Combined Assessment 2 ndash Identifying Smaller Urbanized Priority Areas

The assessment method to prioritize smaller communities is summarized below by combining high priority areas for the following sub-issues


Criterion 2 ndash High priority communities of Sub-Issue 3 analysis Population Dynamics and Resource Allocation - Reclassified to 1


Criterion 4 ndash High priority communities of Sub-Issue 5 analysis Public Drinking Water Quality and Quantity - Reclassified to 1



Map 67 Locations of smaller high priority communities in West Virginia based on composite scores from Sub-issues 2 3 4 and 5 (WVDOF GIS 2009)



Table 67 Top 50 smaller high priority communities in West Virginia

Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Place Name Rank Chesapeake 1 Peterstown 18 Milton 35 Jefferson 2 Mabscott 19 Huntington 36 Dunbar 3 New Haven 20 Paden City 37 Pea Ridge (CDP) 4 Bruceton Mills 21 Sistersville 38 Chester 5 Union 22 Middlebourne 39 East Bank 6 Windsor Heights 23 Stonewood 40 Eleanor 7 Nitro 24 Princeton 41 Westover 8 Belle 25 Elizabeth 42 Mason 9 Follansbee 26 Point Pleasant 43 Wellsburg 10 Franklin 27 Nutter Fort 44 Bancroft 11 Star City 28 Sophia 45 Belmont 12 Beverly 29 South Charleston 46 Newell (CDP) 13 McMechen 30 Sutton 47 Glen Dale 14 Ridgeley 31 Buffalo 48 Masontown 15 Poca 32 Moundsville 49 Friendly 16 Hurricane 33 Martinsburg 50 Jane Lew 17 Wayne 34

Trees planted in an urban pedestrian mall Parkersburg West Virginia (Ron Snow WV Department of Commerce)



Bibliography

Bedker Peter 2008 USDA Community Accomplishment Reporting System (CARS) USDA Forest Service Office of Knowledge Management St Paul Minnesota Available at ftpftp2fsfedusincomingnagisAssessmentsUrbanCARS

Coder Kim D 1996 ldquoIdentified Benefits of Community Trees and Forests University of Georgia p7 Available at httpwwwcoloradotreesorgbenefitsIdentified20Benefits20of20Community20Treespdf

Greenfield Eric J 2009 ldquoPriority Planting Indexrdquo (PPI) UNRI Urban Natural Resources Institute Calculated for RPA report Reports available at httpwwwnrsfsfedusdataurban USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Unit 08 Syracuse NY

Groth Philip R Miller N Nadkarni M Riley and L Shoup2008 Quantifying the Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Urban Parks The Trust for Public Land Available at httpwwwtplorgcontent_documentsGHG20and20Parkspdf)

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2001 Third Assessment Report Climate Change 2001 and Hadley Centre for Climate Change UK Available at httpwwwgridanopublicationsotheripcc_tar

Nowak DJ 1993 ldquoAtmospheric carbon reduction by urban treesrdquo Journal of Environmental Management 37 207-217)

Nowak DJ 2006 ldquoInstitutionalizing urban forestry as a biotechnology to improve environmental qualityrdquo Urban Forestry and Urban Greening Volume 5 pp 93-100)

US Census Bureau 2006 Census 2000 Urban and Rural Classification Available online at httpwwwcensusgovgeowwwuaua_2khtml (accessed fall 2009)

US Census Bureau 2008 Population Estimates West Virginia Available online at httpfactfindercensusgovservletGCTTable_bm=yamp-context=gctamp-ds_name=PEP_2008_ESTampCONTEXT=gctampmt_name=PEP_2008_EST_GCTT1_ST9amp-tree_id=808amp-redoLog=falseamp-geo_id=04000US54amp-format=ST-9|ST-9Samp-_lang=en

US EPA 2008 Monitor Values Report West Virginia US Environmental Protection Agency httpiaspubepagovairsdataadaqsmonvalsgeotype=stampgeocode=WVampgeoinfo=st7EWV7EWest+Virginiaamppol=PM25ampyear=2008ampfld=monidampfld=siteidampfld=addressampfld=cityampfld=countyampfld=stabbrampfld=regnamprpp=25

US EPA 1987 US Environmental Protection agency Kanawha Valley toxics Screening Study West Virginia) Available at httpnepisepagovExeZyNETexe2000WALSTXTZyActionD=ZyDocumentampClient=EPAampIndex=1986+Thru+1990ampDocs=ampQuery=903R87106+US+Environmental+Protection+agency2C+Kanawha+Valley+toxics+Screening+Study2C+West+VirginiaampTime=ampEndTime=ampSearchMethod=3ampTocRestrict=nampToc=ampTocEntry=ampQField=pubnumber5E22903R8710622ampQFieldYear=ampQFieldMonth=ampQFieldDay=ampUseQField=pubnumberampIntQFieldOp=1ampExtQFieldOp=1ampXmlQuery=ampFile=D3A5Czyfiles5CIndex20Data5C86thru905CTxt



5C000000135C2000WALStxtampUser=ANONYMOUSampPassword=anonymousampSortMethod=h7C-ampMaximumDocuments=10ampFuzzyDegree=0ampImageQuality=r75g8r75g8x150y150g16i425ampDisplay=p7CfampDefSeekPage=xampSearchBack=ZyActionLampBack=ZyActionSampBackDesc=Results20pageampMaximumPages=1ampZyEntry=1ampSeekPage=x

US EPA 2008 FACTOIDS Drinking Water and Ground Water Statistics for 2008 US Environmental Protection Agency Avaialable at httpwwwepagovsafewaterdatabasespdfsdata_factoids_2008pdf

WVDEP n d Urban Runoff WV Department of Environmental Protection Enviro Factsheet Available at httpwwwdepwvgovpioDocumentsFactsheetsFact20sheet20Urban20Runoffpdf

WVDEP nd Combined Sewer Overflows WV Department of Environmental Protection Enviro Factsheet Available at httpwwwdepwvgovpioDocumentsFactsheetsFact20sheet20Combined20Sewer20Overflowspdf

WVDOF GIS 2009 Issue 6 Sustainability of Urban Forests Priority Area Analysis

WV Rails to Trails Council Available at httpwwwwvrtcorgindexhtm

Left photo Potomac Valley Project CommuniTree tree planting and workshop at Baker Park in Hardy County West Virginia (Carla Hardy WV Conservation Agency)

Right photo Ranson Elementary Arbor Day tree planting in Jefferson County West Virginia (Herb Peddicord WVDOF)


Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 7 Forest Health 269

Issue 7 Forest Health

West Virginiarsquos forests have historically been impacted by native insects and diseases such as loopers decay oak wilt oak decline and others International trade and the inadvertent movement of non-native invasive species from countries around the world have impacted and continue to impact the species composition of the statersquos forests American chestnut was the most common tree species in the state a century ago and was extremely important to animals and humans However the introduction of the Chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica = Endothia parasitica) from Asia virtually eliminated American chestnut from the native forests Over the years a number of non-native insects and diseases have followed on the heels of chestnut blight and continue to threaten the forest and its sustainability An emerging issue has been the recognition that exotic invasive plants such as Japanese stilt grass garlic mustard tree-of-heaven kudzu oriental bittersweet and others are having an impact on forests New exotic insects diseases and plants have been identified and could cause even more significant ecological and economic damage should they become well established

Sub-Issue 1 Native and Exotic Diseases Insects and Invasive Species of Concern

The National Insect and Disease Risk Map (NIDRM) was completed in 2006 It was created from 188 models that predict how individual tree species will react to various mortality agents The models in turn are the interaction of predicted agent behavior with known forest parameters The West Virginia Risk Map coverage is a subset of only those insect and disease models that are relevant to West Virginia The Forest Health Layer of the West Virginia Statewide Assessment of Forest Resources places a great deal of importance on the National Insect and Disease Risk Assessment It provides a strategic assessment of tree mortality risk The expectation is that without remediation 25 percent or more of the live standing basal area (BA) of trees greater than 1 inch in diameter will die over the next 15 years due to insects and diseases

Within the entire United States nearly 695 million square feet of BA may be lost to all exotics within the next 15 years with 24 million acres experiencing 25 percent mortality or higher due to exotics alone Most BA loss to exotic pests occurs in the eastern United States and California with gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) being the primary pest in the East According to the pest risk map West Virginia leads all states in total area at risk to exotic insects and diseases Approximately 651000 acres of forest land in West Virginia are at risk of suffering 25 percent or greater mortality in the next 15 years due to exotics

Currently West Virginia forests are coping with a number of native and exotic invasive insect and pathogen issues Due to West Virginiarsquos high component of oaks there is a high incidence of important mortality agents such as oak decline hardwood decline and gypsy moth which place West Virginia in a high-risk-of-mortality category West Virginia also has a significant component of beech and hemlock which are susceptible to beech bark disease (BBD) (Neonectria coccinea var faginata) and hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) (Adelges tsugae) respectively These mortality agents are currently contributing significantly to the mortality of these species


270 Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 7 Forest Health

Other mortality agents that occur in West Virginia are of concern even though the tree species affected by these agents donrsquot constitute a large portion of the forest In some cases the pathogen or insect has a limited geographic distribution or is poorly dispersed These include

bull white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola)

bull bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) (Xylella fastidiosa)

bull dogwood anthracnose (Discula destructiva)

bull oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum)

bull butternut canker (Sirococcus clavigigenti-juglandacearum)

bull balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae)

bull common pine shoot beetle (Tomicus piniperda)

bull southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis)

bull emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis) was only recently discovered in West Virginia in 2007 and has been found in Fayette Morgan and Roane Counties to date

Future Diseases and Insect Pests of Concern

There are many emerging problems that could impact the forests of North America and West Virginia There are a number of forest pests in North America not yet known to occur in West Virginia that could have a major impact on the forest resource should they be introduced here With the exception of siricid wood wasp these pests have a broad host range and could wreak havoc on forests once they are introduced and become established These non-native invasive pests include

bull siricid wood wasp (Sirex noctilio)

bull Asian long-horned beetle (ALB) (Anoplophora glabripennis)

bull light brown apple moth (LBAM) (Epiphyas postvittana)

bull sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum)

bull jewel beetle (Agrilus sulcicollis)

bull thousand canker disease

There are forest pests that have been identified in other countries that could become significant pests if introduced into North America and West Virginia Each of the following non-native



invasive pests has an extremely broad host range and is capable of causing serious problems if any one of them becomes established These include

bull nun moth (Lymantria monacha)

bull phytophthora root rot (Phytophthora quercina)

bull phytophthora root rot blight and canker disease (Phytophthora kernoviae)

bull oak splendor beetle (Agrilus biguttatus)

bull Asian gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)

bull rosy gypsy moth (Lymantria mathura)

Invasive Plant Species of Concern

Invasive plant species also impact West Virginiarsquos forests Anytime there is an opening created by fire timber harvesting coal mining oil and gas drilling road construction wind-throw etc there are invasive plants ready to occupy the opening In some cases these invasive species are much less desirable than the pre-existing vegetation When openings are created invasive plants often have a greater opportunity to become established These invasive plants include

bull mile-a-minute weed ndash (Persicaria perfoliata) (syn Polygonum perfoliatum)

bull tree-of-heaven ndash (Ailanthus altissima)

bull Japanese stilt grass ndash (Microstegium vimineum)

bull garlic mustard ndash (Alliaria petiolata)

bull oriental bittersweet ndash (Celastrus orbiculatus)

bull kudzu ndash (Pueraria montana)

bull English ivy ndash (Hedera helix)

bull porcelain berry ndash (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)

bull Japanese honeysuckle ndash (Lonicera japonica)

bull chocolate vine (fiveleaf akebia) ndash (Akebia quinata) ndash not very common

bull mimosa (silk tree) ndash (Albizia julibrissin)

bull climbing euonymus (wintercreeper) ndash (Euonymus fortune)

bull Japanese hop ndash (Humulus japonicas) ndash more common on streambanks and moist areas

bull multiflora rose ndash (Rosa multiflora)



bull amur honeysucklendash (Lonicera maackii)

bull tartarian honeysucklendash (Lonicera tatarica)

bull Morrows honeysucklendash (Lonicera morrowii)

bull Chinese wisteria ndash (Wisteria sinensis)

bull Japanese wisteria ndash (Wisteria floribunda)

Of the plants listed above Japanese stiltgrass is probably the most problematic because of seed longevity apparent ease of dispersal and ability to form monocultures under closed canopies

West Virginia Invasive Species Working Group

As a response to the growing threat of non-native invasive species the West Virginia Invasive Species Working Group was formed in October 2001 and meets in the spring and fall each year It is a consortium of state and federal agencies land grant university research and extension programs other colleges and universities industry organizations private organizations and individuals with an interest in the invasive species problem Its purpose is two-fold 1) to address the threat of invasive species to the people of West Virginia and the statersquos resources and industries in a coordinated and unified manner and 2) to provide a forum for the statement and discussion of the objectives and interests of its members Additionally sub-committees have evolved from the working group to work on various topics including a comprehensive plan to deal with invasive species entitled ldquoThe West Virginia Invasive Species Management Planrdquo

Left photo Invasive Species Landowners Workshop Morgan County West Virginia (Linda Carnell WVDOF)

Right photo Boy Scout Troop 70 from Lewisburg WV winners of the 2009 statewide Garlic Mustard Challenge Troop 70 pulled 2100 pounds in Greenbrier State Forest (Barb Breshock WVDOF)



Sub-Issue 2 Survey Monitor and Evaluate

The WVDA Forest Health Protection Program and the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Program each provide an early warning system to detect and abate invasive species through the surveys that are conducted throughout the state

Although detection at the earliest stages may allow for the eradication of certain pests in most cases this will not be possible In the majority of cases it will be necessary to establish an integrated pest management (IPM) approach The effective use of IPM requires certain basic information be available and this can only be achieved through ongoing survey and detection of pests

Currently surveys are being conducted to detect the following pests gypsy moth hemlock woolly adelgid emerald ash borer beech bark disease and bacterial leaf scorch These surveys evaluate the spread of each pest or disease and are generally conducted according to protocols supplied by the USDA Forest Service The resulting data including geo-referencing information is recorded on data sheets in a format that can be loaded into a national database The final data is submitted to the Forest Service

Sub-Issue 3 Pest Management and Eradication

Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) is an infectious chronic disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa It is transmitted by xylem-feeding insects such as leafhoppers and sharp shooters which colonize and clog the treersquos xylem Water transport becomes disrupted in roots branches and leaves due to large amounts of multiplying bacteria Host species include oaks maples mulberry sweetgum elms sycamore and ashes

Bacterial leaf scorch was first detected in West Virginia in 1992 in Jefferson County on northern red oak In 2008 a BLS survey was conducted starting in Jefferson County To date the survey has detected BLS in five new counties - Berkeley Cabell Kanawha Morgan and Wood and on five new host species - black oak elm pin oak red maple and sweetgum (Map 71) Survey efforts are continuing in delineating the spread of this pathogen

The entire state has been established as a priority area to monitor the spread of BLS particularly in more urban areas since its distribution is proving to be more widely established than first thought This disease historically has been detected in urban areas but the possibility of this pathogen occurring in forests is quite real It has been found to occur in more forested areas in Delaware and New Jersey Given the range of host species that are susceptible to BLS there is a good possibility that it does occur in West Virginia forests Consequently forested areas across the state are priority areas to survey



Map 71 West Virginia counties in which bacterial leaf scorch has been detected as of 2009 (WVDA GIS 2009)

Beech Bark Disease

Beech bark disease (BBD) results from attacks by the beech scale insect Cryptococcus fagisuga followed by one of two fungi Neonectria coccinea var faginata or Neonectria galligena In 1981 when beech scale was first detected in Randolph County the scale insect was found infesting beech trees on over 70000 acres of timberland in Randolph and Pocahontas counties Since then beech scale has spread to encompass over 36 million acres in 17 counties mortality from beech bark disease encompasses nearly 14 million acres in nine counties (Map 72)

The WVDA under an initiative of the USFS is currently surveying for scale-freedisease-free beech in areas of heavy scale infestation and mortality Once candidate trees have been deemed scale-free scion material will be sent to the USFS which has been working on developing resistant varieties of American beech in hopes of determining how resistance to the beech scale is inherited



Map 72 Distribution of beech scale insect infestations and mortality from beech bark disease in West Virginia as of 2009 (WVDA GIS 2009)

As beech scale and BBD have spread from Randolph and Pocahontas counties other counties that have a significant beech component have become and will continue to become infested with beech scale

There are no control measures to eradicate the disease complex once it becomes established although there are silvicultural steps that can be taken ahead of infestation by scale insects to slow its spread There is interest in looking at beech that has survived BBD Efforts are underway to survey areas that are heavily affected with beech mortality to locate pockets of beech that have survived in an effort to learn more about natural resistance to this disease complex

Map 73 shows the areas in the state with the highest potential for losses from beech bark disease Approximately 18 million acres of forest land in West Virginia are thought to be at risk for basal area loss over the next 15 years including over 500000 acres on public lands Losses over the next 15 years could be as much as nine million square feet of basal area



Map 73 Areas in West Virginia with high moderate or low risk for basal area losses due to beech bark disease from 2010 ndash 2025 (WVDA GIS 2009)

Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis is native to Asia Since its 2002 introduction into the United States in Michigan it has killed tens of millions of ash trees It was detected in Fayette County in 2007 and in Morgan and Roane counties in 2009 (Map 74) The entire state is under federal quarantine to prevent interstate movement of ash and ash products USDA-APHIS-PPQ has provided federal funds to place EAB traps to monitor and detect EAB in several states including West Virginia The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is responsible for trap placement in 34 West Virginia counties



Map 74 Counties in West Virginia with emerald ash borer infestations as of 2009 (WVDA GIS 2009)

The USDA has enacted a statewide federal quarantine to deal with the emerald ash borer The quarantine is enacted to prohibit the introduction of emerald ash borer to areas within the state not already known to be infested Quarantines are the first line of defense in efforts to combat exotic invasive species by accomplishing the following

bull Stopping the movement of pests by regulating items that might spread those pests

bull Prohibiting the maintenance propagation sale and movement within the state of pests or items that might spread said pests

bull Regulating the movement of items outside the quarantine areas via the use of limited permits or compliance agreements

Emerald ash borer attacks only ash trees including white ash (Fraxinus americana) black ash (Fraxinus nigra) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Identification of priority areas was done by mapping the known distribution of the ash species within the state



Map 75 shows the areas of highest potential for losses from EAB The distribution is spotty but is spread across most of the state Based on this analysis it is believed that 12 million acres of forest land in West Virginia are at risk for basal area loss over the next 15 years including approximately 150000 acres on public lands There is a potential to lose over three million square feet of basal area over that time period on both public and private lands

Map 75 Areas in West Virginia with high moderate or low risk for basal area loss due to emerald ash borer infestations (WVDA GIS 2009) Exotic Wood Borer Bark Beetle Survey

West Virginia has significant populations of pine (Pinus spp) species both cultivated and native Pines along with other conifers are an important component of production nurseries and pulpwood harvesting Significant infestations from a number of different wood-boring insects could seriously impact producers of conifers such as Christmas tree growers as well as have an adverse impact on native flora and fauna in certain ecologically-sensitive areas Through USDA-APHIS funding a survey is being conducted near businesses that use or deal in mulch firewood and wooden packing materials as well as in areas with a significant number of potential host trees



There are 40 counties in West Virginia currently being surveyed for bark beetles and wood-boring insects (Map 76) One site per county is being surveyed for detection of the following

bull Hylurgops palliatus

bull Hylurgus ligniperda

bull Ips sexdentatus

bull Ips typographus

bull Monochamus alternatus

bull Pityogenes chalcographus

bull Tomicus piniperda

bull Trypodendron domesticus

bull Xyleborus spp

bull Orthotomicus erosus

Map 76 Counties in West Virginia surveyed for the presence of bark beetles and wood-boring insects in 2009 (WVDA GIS 2009)



Gypsy Moth

The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is considered the most serious insect pest ever to invade West Virginiarsquos forests The first adult male gypsy moths were trapped in 1972 and the first caterpillars were found in 1978 Since then this insect has continued to spread to the west and south through West Virginia (Map 77) The first suppression activities took place in West Virginia in 1983 when 16735 acres were treated with Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki In 1985 the first defoliation was mapped when 3004 acres were defoliated in Jefferson County In 1988 West Virginia began a program called the Gypsy Moth Cooperative Suppression (GMCS) Cooperative State-County-Landowner Program (CSCL) to assist landowners in West Virginia with gypsy moth infestations To date 39 of West Virginiarsquos 55 counties fall under the state gypsy moth quarantine and 34 counties participate in the CSCL Program Additionally West Virginia participates in the National Slow the Spread Program to reduce the rate of spread of this forest pest

Map 77 West Virginia counties infested by gypsy moth in 2009 (WVDA GIS 2009)



The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) operates the gypsy moth cooperative suppression program between landowners county commissions in infested counties the West Virginia University (WVU) Cooperative Extension Service WVDA and the USDA Forest Service (Map 78) In order to qualify for treatment landowners must complete an egg mass survey request form Forest land must have a concentration of at least 500 egg masses per acre to be considered for treatment and wooded developments must have at least 250 egg masses per acre in order to qualify Consideration is also given to areas where significant risk exists for large numbers of windblown caterpillars

Landowners are billed for treatment costs and must pay the cost-share portion which varies from year to year Based upon the available dollars WVDA and the USFS normally offer cost share amounts up to 50 percent Aerial treatments are conducted in the infested area to minimize the damage to forests and reduce the impact of gypsy moth in future years Treatments are not done with the intent of eradicating the pest but rather to keep it under control

Map 78 West Virginia counties participating in the Gypsy Moth Cooperative Program (WVDA GIS 2009)



The National Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Program is a combined federal and state effort to slow gypsy moth spread by detecting isolated colonies using grids of pheromone-baited traps placed along the expanding population front from Wisconsin to North Carolina including several counties in West Virginia (Map 79) Detected colonies are treated with Bacillus thuringiensis for mating disruption Analyses indicate that this project has reduced spread by more than 50 percent to approximately 3 miles per year

Map 79 ldquoSlow the Spread Programrdquo gypsy moth trapping areas in West Virginia (WVDA GIS 2009)

Since gypsy moth first caused major defoliation in West Virginia in 1985 it has historically been a problem in the eastern panhandle counties that are part of the greater Chesapeake Bay Priority Area As gypsy moth has spread from the eastern panhandle region in westerly and southwesterly directions it has become clear that counties bordering Virginia (Pocahontas Greenbrier and Monroe) have become infested and that gypsy moth will remain a problem in these areas The WVDA GMCS CSCL Program is responsible for conducting treatments on state and private lands in the infested counties The western counties of West Virginia are part of the multi-state Slow the Spread Program that is responsible for slowing the movement of gypsy moth into non-infested areas



The WVDA has enacted a quarantine to deal with the gypsy moth in West Virginia (Map 710) The quarantine is enacted to prohibit the introduction of gypsy moths to areas within the state not already known to be infested Quarantines are the first line of defense in efforts to combat exotic invasive species

Map 710 Counties in West Virginia included in the WV Department of Agriculture gypsy moth quarantine (WVDA GIS 2009)



Map 711 shows the areas of highest potential for losses caused by gypsy moth Approximately 97 million acres of forest land in West Virginia are thought to be at risk of experiencing basal area loss due to gypsy moth over the next 15 years including 14 million acres of public land Losses over the next 15 years could be as much as 119 million square feet of basal area

Map 711 Areas in West Virginia with high moderate or low risk of basal area loss due to gypsy moth infestations (WVDA GIS 2009)



Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA)

West Virginiarsquos eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) are currently threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae ) This small insect is native to Asia and feeds on sap at the base of hemlock needles This eventually causes the loss of those needles followed by branch dieback and eventually death in both eastern and Carolina hemlocks (Tsuga caroliniana) Since the original 1992 survey for HWA in West Virginia it has been confirmed in 33 counties (Map 712) Thousands of hemlock trees in the state have already been killed by HWA

To manage this threat the WVDA operates the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Suppression Program Under this program WVDA field agents conduct year-round HWA surveys The purpose of the surveys is to locate candidate trees on public lands having high importance for wildlife or aesthetics Once located the trees are flagged diameters are measured and coordinates are recorded In addition because detection surveys record both infested and non-infested hemlocks this will add to our knowledge of the total range of the hemlocks in the state

Map 712 Progression of hemlock wooly adelgid infestations in West Virginia from 1992 through 2009 (WVDA GIS 2009)



Hemlock trees selected for treatment are candidates for either biological control or treatment with the insecticide imidacloprid WVDA has participated in several trials of biological control agents including Laricobius nigrinus (Map 713) Unfortunately none of these has proven to be effective in controlling HWA to date However WVDA continues to partner with other agencies to explore biological control options

Map 713 Hemlock wooly adelgid suppression program beetle release sites in West Virginia from 1999-2008 (WVDA GIS 2009)

Left photo Hemlock Woolly Adelgid treatment tree (Clark Haynes WVDA)

Right photo HWA Infested Hemlock needles (Clark Haynes WVDA)



Most candidate trees have received insecticide treatment to reduce HWA populations (Map 714) These treatments decrease the aesthetic economic and environmentally-adverse impacts of defoliation dieback decline and eventual mortality of high-value and high-profile hemlock trees Though not practical for use in large scale forested settings because application is limited to individual trees insecticide treatment of selected hemlocks can enable some trees to recover from HWA infestation This protects high value specimen trees highly visible trees or trees of wildlife value until biological control agents have a chance to increase or until other HWA control measures become available

Map 714 Hemlock wooly adelgid chemical treatment sites in West Virginia from 2004-2009 (WVDA GIS 2009) In West Virginia HWA attacks only eastern hemlock so the method of indentifying priority areas consisted of mapping the known distribution of eastern hemlocks within the state This distribution spans public and private ownerships including urban and suburban locations since eastern hemlock is commonly used in landscaping



Map 715 shows the areas of highest potential for losses caused by HWA These lie mostly in the eastern mountains of the state and in the area around the New River Gorge National Park Based on this analysis it is believed that 224000 acres of forest land in West Virginia are at risk of experiencing basal area loss over the next 15 years including 161000 acres (72 percent) on public lands There is a potential loss of over 12 million square feet of basal area over that time period on both public and private lands

Map 715 Areas in West Virginia with high moderate or low risk of basal area loss due to hemlock wooly adelgid infestations (WVDA GIS 2009) West Virginia Hemlock Conservation Working Group

The hemlock resource in West Virginia is quickly being destroyed by the HWA The damage does not stop at ownership boundaries and hemlock management needs to be conducted on a landscape level In February 2008 the West Virginia Hemlock Conservation Working Group was formed and is conducted under the auspices of the West Virginia Invasive Species Council Currently the working group consists of volunteers from the WVDA WVDOF USDA Forest Service (Forest Health Protection) Monongahela National Forest NPS USFWS and TNC The purpose of this group is to identify and prioritize critical hemlock conservation areas for HWA control regardless of ownership and to ldquomake a standrdquo by pooling efforts and resources



Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM)

The light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana ) is native to Australia The first detection of the LBAM on the US mainland was confirmed in Alameda County CA in March 2007 It has a broad host range in excess of 2000 species in 150 plant genera from over 70 families including nursery stock cut flowers stone fruit (peaches plums nectarines cherries and apricots) pome fruit (apples and pears) grapes and citrus as well as several forest trees and ornamentals Funding for 2009 was provided by USDA-APHIS-PPQ to participate in the national detection survey for LBAM to identify areas free from infestation and to discover any new infestations The WVDA staff is responsible for trap placement in 39 counties in West Virginia APHIS is responsible for trap placement in 12 counties while four counties are not currently part of the survey program (Map 716) This pest is mentioned in the assessment because of its workload impact on the Forest Health staff as well as potential implications for both urban and rural forestry including wildlife and forest ecosystem impacts

Map 716 West Virginia counties included in surveys for the light brown apple moth (WVDA GIS 2009)



Mile-A-Minute Weed

Mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata) is an exotic herbaceous annual trailing vine that grows rapidly in sunny areas to form dense mats that can suppress tree seedlings stump sprouts shrubs and other vegetation Mile-a-minute produces abundant black berry-like fruit during the growing season The fruit is consumed by birds as well as some mammals Birds are extremely important in long-distance dispersal Seeds can also be spread by insects and humans Additionally water ways have proven to be a mode of seed dispersal Mile-a-minute weed has been found in the following counties Berkeley Grant Hampshire Hardy Jefferson Kanawha Mineral Morgan Ohio Pendleton Tyler Upshur and Wood (Map 717)

Map 717 West Virginia counties infested with mile-a-minute weed in 2009 (WVDA GIS 2009)

The WVDA Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Program (CAPS) under an agreement with the USDA-APHIS-PPQ conducts surveys to determine the range of this exotic pest WVDA is also participating in a bio-control project to release beetles to control mile-a-minute weed The biological control agent is a weevil (Rhinoncomimus latipes) from Asia the native area for mile-a-minute weed The weevil was approved for release in the United States in 2004 after extensive feeding trials Both adult and larval weevils are believed to feed exclusively on mile-a-minute weed



The weevil has been observed to disperse readily from release sites and causes significant damage to mile-a-minute weed populations In 2009 weevils were released at sites in Berkeley Kanawha Morgan and Wood Counties (Map 718) Priority areas for mile-a-minute weed were established through surveys that detected the plant in 13 counties

Map 718 West Virginia counties which are high-priority areas for mile-a-minute weed control efforts and counties in which biological control efforts have been undertaken (WVDA GIS 2009)



Sirex Woodwasp

Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio) is native to Europe Asia and northern Africa It causes pine mortality outside of its native range Survey funds have been provided to the WVDA Agricultural Pest Survey Program by USDA-APHIS-PPQ

West Virginia has significant populations of pine (Pinus spp) species both cultivated and native Pines are an important component of production nurseries and pulpwood harvesting Significant infestations of Sirex noctilio could seriously impact producers of pines as well as have an adverse impact on native flora and fauna in West Virginia particularly in ecologically sensitive areas

Surveys for this pest began in West Virginia in 2007 and are being conducted with Lindgren traps baited with Sirex lure provided by USDA APHIS in seven counties (Map 719) A total of 70 traps (10 per county) are set in May and June annually which are placed in pine stands and checked every two weeks until the end of October Site selection is prioritized by host availability and land use

Map 719 West Virginia counties participating in sirex woodwasp surveys (WVDA GIS 2009)



Sudden Oak Death

Sudden oak death is caused by the oomycete (ldquowater moldrdquo) Phytophthora ramorum The disease has resulted in the widespread dieback of several tree species in California and Oregon forests Ramorum blight also affects the leaves and twigs of numerous other plants in both forests and nurseries Oaks and rhododendron are particularly susceptible to infestation by P ramorum

Due to the high oak and rhododendron component in West Virginiarsquos forests as well as a significant nursery trade in the state there is a risk of introduction and establishment of this pathogen Surveys for this pathogen have been ongoing since 2003 Initially this included a Forest Service national ground survey which involved sampling symptomatic plant material of susceptible species in sites located in high to moderate risk areas including nurseries campgrounds and recreation areas Currently the WVDA is participating in a Forest Service early detection survey that involves using native rhododendron leaves to bait for P ramorum in and near streams located in watersheds that encompass either Trace Forward Nurseries or nurseries that receive host material from California and Oregon

These survey areas are located throughout West Virginia but the highest risk of pathogen establishment is in the eastern part of the state due to its high rhododendron and oak components If any nurseries in the eastern part of the state are found to have received potentially infected host material then watersheds around those nurseries will be surveyed immediately

Sudden Oak Death has not yet been found in West Virginia but monitoring continues The oak leaves above show damages from oak wilt (Clark Haynes WVDA)



Oak and Other Hardwood Declines

Oak decline occurs statewide and has been a chronic problem in West Virginia for many years Various factors seem to trigger the decline including drought frost defoliation altered water tables and compaction from equipment Oak decline is one of the most widespread forest health problems encountered in West Virginia and little can be done to remedy the problem in the majority of cases

Map 720 shows the areas of highest potential for loss of oak due to oak decline Over seven million acres of forest land in West Virginia are thought to be at risk of experiencing basal area loss due to oak decline in the next 15 years including over one million acres on public land Losses over the next 15 years could be as much as 78 million square feet of basal area

Map 720 Areas in West Virginia with high moderate or low risk of basal area loss of oaks due to oak decline (WVDA GIS 2009)



Hardwood decline has also been a chronic problem in West Virginia for many years due to a combination of various biological and human-caused impacts that causes stress on the trees Map 721 shows the areas of highest potential for loss due to general hardwood decline over the next 15 years Over five million acres of forest land in West Virginia are thought to be at risk of experiencing basal area loss due to general hardwood decline including nearly one million acres on public lands Losses over the next 15 years could be as much as 22 million square feet of basal area

Map 721 Areas in West Virginia with high moderate or low risk of basal area loss from general hardwood decline (WVDA GIS 2009)



Historically sugar maple decline has not been a major problem in West Virginia but significant risk for this occurrence exists in areas shown in Map 722 Approximately 47 million acres of forest land in West Virginia are thought to be at risk of experiencing sugar maple basal area loss over the next 15 years including nearly 900000 acres on public land Losses over the next 15 years could be as much as 17 million square feet of basal area Causes of this decline are thought to be consistent with other hardwood decline However differences in general susceptibility to declines are apparent between various hardwood species as well as among individual trees of the same species

Map 722 Areas in West Virginia with high moderate or low risk of basal area loss from sugar maple decline (WVDA GIS 2009)



Sub-Issue 4 Public Education

The primary objective of the West Virginia Department of Agriculturersquos public education program is to increase public awareness of invasive insects and diseases Educational material is distributed via the following methods

bull News releases via newspaper website television radio bull Annual forest health calendars distributed to the public bull Market Bulletin articles bull WVDA Pest Alerts and other literature sent to state parks and forests landowners and

WVU Extension agents bull Pest Alerts published on the WVDA website bull Master GardenerNaturalist programs bull Educational presentations for various school groups bull Participation in the WV State Fair as well as local county fairs the Mountain State

Forest Festival and Agriculture Day at the State Capitol bull Public meetings regarding gypsy moth and emerald ash borer bull Campaigns such as the ldquoDonrsquot Move Firewoodrdquo campaign bull Processing of specimens sent by landowners and house calls by WVDA specialists to

diagnose tree problems or assess hazard trees

WVDOF employees Tim Casto (L) and Tom Oxley (R) conducting outdoor education activities with school groups (Dave Fattaleh retired WV Department of Commerce)



Bibliography

Krist FJ Jr FJ Sapio BM Tkacz 2007 Mapping risk from forest insects and diseases FHTET 2007-06 USDA Forest Service Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team Fort Collins CO 115 p Online at httpwwwfsfedusforesthealthtechnologypdfsFHTET2007-06_RiskMappdf

McCauley Shawn 2009 Forest Health Protection Aerial Survey Data West Virginia Department of Agriculture

Left photo Bacterial leaf scorch (Clark Haynes WVDA)

Right photo Chestnut blight (Clark Haynes WVDA)


Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 8 Utilization Marketing and Economic Development 299

Issue 8 Utilization Marketing and Economic Development

The development of West Virginiarsquos forest products sector has been advanced by its abundant and diverse forest resource and its close proximity to a majority of the US population Likewise it is accessible to global markets through several reasonably close international ports This resource has supported a vibrant forest products industry for over 100 years which has been very beneficial to the citizens of West Virginia

Forest-based industries are an integral part of West Virginiarsquos economy As recently as 2005 prior to the economic downturn the forest products sector accounted for approximately $4 billion of the states economy annually and was responsible for the employment of more than 30000 West Virginians Each of the states 55 counties has some segment of the wood industry serving as an employer The forest products sector is the largest employer in many of these counties Due to the importance of this industry to West Virginia and many of its residents it is vital that both the industry and the forest resources remain healthy and sustainable well into the future

The WVDOF also recognizes the importance of the forest product sector One of its statutory responsibilities is to encourage and assist with the expansion and continued viability of the forest industry in the state The WVDOF Director is also charged with pursuing research and education related to forest resources and their multiple uses This includes management and utilization the manufacture and marketing of forest products forest protection and the establishment of technical advisory committees to assist with all or any aspects of forestry The Director is also charged with advising the Governor and the Legislature about what is needed to improve the business climate for forest industries in West Virginia This includes advice about the economic potential of forestry in the state how to improve the forest resources of the state forestry research and data need and how to improve the transportation system for efficiently moving wood products

In 2007 West Virginiarsquos forests consisted of about 120 million acres approximately the same amount that it has had since 1989 (Figure 81) From 1949 ndash 1989 total acreage of forest land increased from under 10 million acres to the 12 million acres found today Ownership of this resource is also diverse Of the 12 million acres of forest land 60 percent is considered family forest land and 27 percent is under other private ownership which includes wood products companies TIMOs coal companies REITs and various other private corporations partnerships and other entities (Figure 82) Approximately 13 percent of the statersquos forests are publically owned


300 Issues Sub-Issues and Priority Area Identification ndash Issue 8 Utilization Marketing and Economic Development

Figure 81 Area of forest land West Virginia 1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 and 2007 (Widmann et al 2007)

Figure 82 West Virginia forest land ownership by major class in 2007 (Widmann et al 2007)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

Forest Land

National Forest acres 1 072 896 9

Other public acres 491 504 4

Other private acres 3 266 200 27

Family forest acres 7 174 000 60

2007



As noted forest land acreage in West Virginia has remained fairly constant since 1989 however total resource volumes have increased from 624 billion board feet to 799 billion board feet over that same time period (Figure 83)

Figure 83 Total growing stock volumes 1945-2007 in West Virginia (Widmann et al 2007)

Photo courtesy of Shawn Grushecky WVU AHC

175288

361

624714 799

01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Bill

ion

Boa

rd F

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YearSampling errors 13 percent in 1989 and 18 percent in 2000



This increase has helped spur the continued development of the forest-based industry in West Virginia The forest-based industrial sector has many segments including forest resource owners professional foresters loggers primary processors and secondary manufacturers and is spread evenly across the state (Map 81) It is up to this total supply chain to effectively manage West Virginia forest resources This management must be done in such a way as to encourage and support forest-based industries while at the same time continuing to improve the statersquos forests through professionally based scientifically sound and sustainable forest management

Map 81 Location of West Virginia Forest Products Industry (Data from WVDOF and WVU Appalachian Hardwood Center 2006)



Recently the West Virginia forest products industry has been experiencing large declines in employment and production (Figure 84) These declines can be mainly attributed to the decline in the health of the overall US economy A collapse in the domestic housing market has especially impacted hardwood producers since a large portion of the production is used for new home construction as well as for remodeling activities Although traditional markets for hardwoods have struggled new opportunities are developing that have the potential to increase the use of the forest resource Energy price increases as well as a long-term reliance on foreign fuel sources have forced the US to develop a more domestic-based energy portfolio Renewable energy sources including woody-biomass have played into this portfolio diversification As new opportunities develop for woody biomass use traditional forest products companies will have access to new markets that will help ensure the continued reliance on West Virginiarsquos forest resource

Figure 84 Change in primary forest products industry between February 2005 and Feburary 2009 Data from West Virginia Division of Forestry

Currently there are a number of issues that have the potential to impact the utilization and marketing of West Virginiarsquos forest resource Of these six were identified as being of critical importance to the continued development of this industrial sector The continued development of the forest-based industry will help ensure the importance of the forest resource to the citizens of West Virginia



Sub-Issue 1 InfrastructureTransportation

The State of West Virginia lacks sufficient funding and resources to continue the expansion of a vital transportation system to further develop the forest products industry The state also lacks industrial real estate properties suitable for development due to topography and lack of utilities There is also some resistance to expansion of forest based industries from current residents landowners and the environmental community

Road systems in West Virginia limit the continued development of forest based industries Being a rural state West Virginia lacks upgraded roads capable of sustaining good transportation flow in many rural areas especially the coal fields of the southern counties Another concern with the transportation network is the number of low-weight bridges and low-weight roads that reduce travel options for forest based industries In order to reduce transportation costs forest-based industries must move large loads of products from the forest to a processing facility and then to market destinations Weight limits on many of West Virginiarsquos roadways hinder this movement and force forest products companies to allocate more resources to transportation than companies in other hardwood producing states Most primary hardwood producing facilities try to locate within 50 miles of their resource base This is very important when transporting raw products from the forest to processing sites Many forest areas of West Virginia are greater than 30 minute haul time to a sawmill (areas in blue in Map 82) Likewise when the 30 minute drive times for all primary processors are calculated there is a large percentage of the state that is underserved (areas in white in Map 83) These added transportation costs put the statersquos forest products businesses at a competitive disadvantage

Another transportation issue that has become more of a problem in recent years is the lack of rail infrastructure especially rail siding facilities As West Virginia begins to compete in a more global forest products market rail lines will be extremely important for the efficient transportation of products to intermodal port facilities Recently many producers in West Virginia have cited rail infrastructure as a critical need to the future success of their companies

Photos courtesy of Shawn Grushecky WVU AHC



Map 82 Calculated drive times to sawmills in West Virginia Drive times calculated in minutes using ESRI Network Analyst (Harouff et al 2008)

Map 83 Thirty-minute drive times for all WV primary industry locations and posted low weight bridges Drive times calculated using ESRI Network Analyst (Harouff et al 2008)



Sub-Issue 9 Property Values in the Wildland-Urban Interface

As cities and urban populations continue to increase there has been considerable development in rural areas of West Virginia As this interest grows property and land values increase The Division of Forestry estimates that the damage caused by a typical wildfire is approximately $300 per acre Currently however most wildfire damage is confined to natural resources such as timber As personal property values (primarily houses and related structures) increase in the wildland-urban interface there will be a corresponding increase in the economic damage caused by wildfires (Map 524)

Map 524 Structure density in rural areas of West Virginia (WVDOF GIS 2009 using data from WV GIS Technical Center 2009 e)










Bibliography



















Assessment Methods














Assessment Methods


Reclassified to 6




















Assessment Methods






















Assessment Methods
























Assessment Methods























Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

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Boa

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Bibliography



















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Assessment Methods


Reclassified to 6




















Assessment Methods






















Assessment Methods
























Assessment Methods























Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

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01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

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ion

Boa

rd F

eet

































Assessment Methods














Assessment Methods


Reclassified to 6




















Assessment Methods






















Assessment Methods
























Assessment Methods























Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

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2007






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624714 799

01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Bill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet


































Assessment Methods


Reclassified to 6




















Assessment Methods






















Assessment Methods
























Assessment Methods























Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

2

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6

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12

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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

Forest Land





2007






175288

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624714 799

01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Bill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet





































Assessment Methods






















Assessment Methods
























Assessment Methods























Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

2

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12

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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

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2007






175288

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624714 799

01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

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ion

Boa

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Assessment Methods
























Assessment Methods























Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

2

4

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12

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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

Forest Land





2007






175288

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624714 799

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1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

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ion

Boa

rd F

eet






































Assessment Methods























Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

2

4

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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

Forest Land





2007






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624714 799

01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Bill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet











































Assessment Methods

































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

Forest Land





2007






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01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Bill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet




















































Bibliography






































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

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2007






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624714 799

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1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

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Boa

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eet
















































































































Beech Bark Disease












Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

Forest Land





2007






175288

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624714 799

01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

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ion

Boa

rd F

eet































Emerald Ash Borer


























bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

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2007






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01020304050607080

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Bill

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Boa

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eet














































bull Xyleborus spp





Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















0

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Boa

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Gypsy Moth

















































Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















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1949 1961 1975 1989 2000 2007

Forest Land





2007






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01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

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Boa

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Mile-A-Minute Weed










Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















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01020304050607080

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

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Sirex Woodwasp







Sudden Oak Death






























Bibliography
















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Sudden Oak Death






























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Sub-Issue 8: Silvicultural Benefits of Prescribed Fire...Ecosystem 35 Management for Sustainability:...

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Transcript of Sub-Issue 8: Silvicultural Benefits of Prescribed Fire...Ecosystem 35 Management for Sustainability:...