Forestry herbicides in the United States: an overview

Abstract

Abstract Herbicides are used in forestry to manage tree-species composition, reduce competition from shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, manipulate wildlife habitat, and control invasive exotics. There are no national statistics on extent of forestry herbicide use. A survey of 13 forest products companies found that 51 distinct applications of 1–3 herbicides were used and that 11 applications (with 6 active ingredients) accounted for 90% of the area reported treated. Reported rates were always lower than maximum labeled rate, and average rates ranged from 10–42% of the labeled maxima. Herbicides were used on 74,464 hectares in the National Forest System (including rangeland) in 2001. Another survey of forestry herbicide use by all ownerships in the southern United States in 2002 reported 985,237 hectares treated. Public concerns over use of herbicides in forests include toxicity to humans, pets, livestock, and wildlife and effects of herbicides on wildlife habitat. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Ro...