State and federal forestry officials and private property owners are keeping their eyes open this spring for signs of an old nemesis – the southern pine beetle.

The notorious beetle devastated vast swaths of Alabama forests in the 1980s, rendering entire stands worthless. And there are signs the bug is back in action.

Experts suspect pine beetle infestation may run in seven- to nine-year cycles, which means the time is right for a potential pine beetle comeback.

A tree shows the destructive handiwork of the southern pine beetle. (Contributed)

Alabama foresters see evidence that the southern pine beetle is mounting a fresh attack on the state’s pine forests. (Contributed)

Ciynthia Ragland, ranger for the Talladega National Forest’s Ocmulgee District, talks about the southern pine beetle and efforts to curb its destructive attacks on Alabama forests. (Contributed)

Detecting pine beetles is relatively simple. Pine needles in infested trees will change from green to light brown within a few weeks. The needles eventually die and turn to a rust or brown color.

Any increase in pine beetle infestation is potentially troubling for Alabama, one of the nation’s most heavily forested states and home to important timber-related industries.

“The southern pine beetle has been a serious issue at least since the 1960s,” said Cynthia Ragland, district ranger for the Talladega National Forest – Oakmulgee District, which touches portions of seven counties southeast of Birmingham.

“Many people don’t know that the beetle is endemic to the land. There have probably always been pine beetles in our forests. But the emphasis on planting fast-growing timber and planting it close together created a perfect storm for these beetles to do their damage,” Ragland said.

Today, the U.S. Forest Service and many private landowners are focusing on restoring the natural balance in Alabama forests, which can also help to reduce problems with pine beetles. It includes culling diseased trees and, in some places, working to restore the historic, slow-growing longleaf pine trees that once dominated large areas of the state. They are also re-introducing controlled fire to keep existing longleaf forests healthy while expanding, where feasible, the longleaf habitat – one of the most important and diverse ecosystems in Alabama.

“Our advice to anyone owning land is to thin forests out and get rid of unhealthy trees,” Ragland said. “Trees that are very close together or densely populated don’t get the nutrients or sunlight of a traditional longleaf forest, which was what blanketed Alabama at the turn of the century.”

Indeed, photos from the late 1800s and early 1900s provide insight into Alabama’s natural landscape before the arrival of settlers. The photos show open glades of longleaf pines – which look very unlike much of today’s dense stands of planted pines.

“The soils in the Oakmulgee District naturally support longleaf pines,” Ragland said. “Years ago, when these lands were settled, people lived on small family farms. One of the things they did to survive was to suppress fire. This unknowingly caused the natural ecosystem to become unbalanced.”

During pre-settler days, fires triggered by lightning strikes helped to naturally manage Southern forests. Native Americans also used fire to help maintain healthy forests, fertilize the soil and reduce insects, said Jake Thelan, the Forest Service’s district fire management officer.

As the federal government began purchasing depleted farmland in Alabama to create National Forests, dense stands of faster-growing loblolly were planted to stop erosion caused by farming on poor soil. “No one knew that planting thousands of these trees was not necessarily the right thing to do,” Ragland said.

Trees planted too close together tend to choke or crowd each other out, weakening their immune systems, Ragland explained. “Trees are a lot like humans. An unhealthy tree with a weakened immune system is more likely to get sick than a healthy tree with a robust immune system. Plus, trees in close proximity provide an easier path for pine beetles to spread.”

That’s why the primary way to stop pine beetle infestation is to employ a “Cut and Leave” or “Cut and Remove” strategy that strikes at the heart of the affected forest. Cutting not only isolates the bug, but also removes its food source.

But an even better method is to address ahead of time the issues that can lead to pine beetle problems.

“A healthy forest doesn’t have the same issues as one that is unhealthy,” Ragland said. “Prevention is the key.”

TOMORROW: How foresters and landowners are using planning and prevention to not only address pine beetles today, but to create healthier forests for tomorrow.