Current Knowledge Of Characteristics And Utilization Of Post Mountain Pine Beetle Wood In Solid Wood Products

Contents: Intro.; The Changing Mgmt. Context; Previous Studies on Effects of Disturbance on Wood Quality; After the Fire: Changes in Dead and Dying Conifers; Predicting Conifer Mortality Following Fires; Types of Changes in the Wood of Dead Conifers; Insect Damage to Conifers; Stain and Decay Fungi Damage to Conifers; Factors Influencing the Rate of Deterioration; Species-Specific Changes in Wood Quality of Dead and Dying Conifers; Douglas-Fir; Englemann Spruce and White Spruce; Grand Fir and White Fir; Lodgepole Pine; Ponderosa, Sugar, Western White, and Jeffrey Pine; Subalpine Fir; Western Hemlock; Western Larch; Wood Quality Changes and Econ. Values; Visual Classification Systems; Volume and Value Loss. Conclusions.

In 2006, a total of 360 lodgepole pine trees were destructively sampled from 45 sites that had been killed by mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonous ponderosae Hopk.). The trees were sampled from the Sub Boreal Spruce (SBS) Biogeoclimatic zone within north central British Columbia. The trees were distributed evenly across the geographic areas as well as across a sample matrix that included three classes of time since death, three classes of diameter at breast height, and three classes of soil moisture regime. A previous report described the procedures used to the collect the data and summarized the data collected for each of the sample trees. The current study analyzes the data and presents a detailed assessment of the changes in the wood quality attributes of mountain pine beetle-killed trees that occur within 5 years since death.--Includes text from document.

"A study took place near Quesnel, BC, in November, 2004, to test a sampling procedure designed to determine which attributes of beetle-killed lodgepole pine trees resulted in a reduction in lumber recovery and product value over time. Old grey-attack trees were destructively sampled, and sampled trees, discs and logs were analyzed. The test results provided preliminary information on variables pertaining to log and wood quality and quantity of beetle-killed timber within older grey-attack stands."--Document.

To mitigate the impact of the mountain pine beetle epidemic on the British Columbia forest products sector, an understanding of the relationship between wood quality and time since infestation is needed. The proposed research project deals with the chemical and mechanical properties of mountain pine beetle-infested wood at various stages of attack. Using dynamic mechanical (DMA), and morphological (X-ray) analyses, the effect of mountain pine beetle on various wood components was determined and related to chemical composition. This report looks into the impact of the mountain pine beetle on the British Columbia forests and the outcomes of the analyses used.--Includes text from document.

The general objective of this study was to supplement through data analysis the development of a quality assessment protocol for post-mountain pine beetle (MPB) wood that is consistent with standard North American procedures for testing and evaluating commercial structural lumber. The specific data analysis objectives were to determine the usefulness and limitations of existing data collected in past pan-Canadian cross sectional studies and how they may be used to assist in developing regional longitudinal programs. The second objective was to extract existing data on MPB-relevant characteristics from industry databases relevant to their frequency, and severity relative to grade rules. The techniques developed in this analysis are expected to form part of the evaluation framework of the quality assessment protocol.--Document.