Herbicides are an essential tool for maintaining high levels of productivity in intensively managed forests, and can contribute to ecosystem services such as improving habitat conditions for some species, including species of conservation concern, and controlling invasive species.  An extensive body of research confirms that modern forest herbicides, when applied according to label directions, can be used with minimal risk of toxicological effects to wildlife and without impairment to ecosystem services (e.g., water quality).  While sustainably managed forests are not agroecosystems, there are components of herbicide use within working forest landscapes that are relevant to these systems.  Individually and collaboratively through organizations such as the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc. (NCASI), forest products companies and forest owners have engaged in research investigating ecological fate of herbicides applied in managed forests, efficacy of best management practices for herbicide applications, and toxicity to fauna of herbicides used in forestry operations.  NCASI also has supported enhancements to the AgDrift model to make it more realistic for forest conditions and to provide drift-control options used by forest managers.  Additional research has investigated responses of biodiversity to changes in the structure and composition of plant communities in response to herbicide application and subsequent forest stand development.  Investigations such as these have been advanced by forest certification programs which encourage participants to sustainably use herbicides, support research, and apply knowledge gained through research.  Forest certification programs also have other relevant provisions such as requirements that managers implement best management practices and conserve known occurrences of at-risk species.  In this presentation, we will discuss recent research related to use of herbicides in working forests, examples of elements in forest certification programs that promote sustainable use of herbicides, and how these programs might serve as a model for addressing sustainability issues using a non-regulatory approach.

Use of herbicides in forestry and their contribution to ecosystem services: Case studies and ongoing research

248th National Meeting (2014)

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