Impacts of mountain pine beetles on forest management and succession

Abstract

The mountain pine beetle has been an ongoing issue in large forest landscapes for decades and has continued to create issues revolving around forest management and succession. This thesis will go into depth on the intensity and devastation the mountain pine beetle has caused in North American forests, and how different forest management schemes are in the works on how to properly manage massive outbreaks of the mountain pine beetle. Findings of the mountain pine beetle traveling northeast and its attack on the jack pine species have been causing concerns about adjustments to management strategies and future successional trajectories.