Widespread, rapid, abundant and costly episodes of tree mortality due to outbreaks of the southern pine beetle will likely continue across northern Florida into the foreseeable future. Whether urban or rural, public or private, forests need to be altered and thereafter maintained in a less susceptible condition over large areas to prevent, delay and limit such undesirable events. The following is a list of measures that reduce the probability of SPB activity. The more measures that become reality and practice across all landscapes and ownerships, the more effective the prevention effort will be.
 

I. Local Ordinances, Codes, and Regulations:

• City and County Land Management Codes should prohibit the use of tree climbing spikes on all live trees not being removed. Spiking live trees is a violation of American National Standard ANSI A300 which states:
• Climbing spurs should not be used when climbing trees, except as specified elsewhere in this standard. Climbing spur use is permissible on tree removals and in emergencies, such as aerial rescue.
• Equipment and work practices that damage bark, cambium, live plant tissue, or any combination of these, should be avoided.
• City and County Land Management Codes should prohibit retention of southern pine beetle infested trees in residential and commercial zoning categories. Such Codes already prohibit retention of dead trees that pose a safety threat. Since SPB always kills trees that it successfully infests and the beetles and their brood are a potential threat to others, instituting a fine for failure to remove infested trees within 14 days of notification of active infestation would reduce the overall impact of SPB outbreaks by quicker removal of the contagion from urban areas.  The Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has passed ordinances that similarly regulate SPB activity on private property.
   
• Eliminate all protection measures that currently encourage or require retention of loblolly pine in landscapes. Loblolly pines are routinely afforded protection given to all other tree species, but, given their role in promoting and sustaining SPB outbreaks, efforts should be made to reduce their presence in urban forests.
   
• Rapidly and consistently grant permits for all requests to remove loblolly pine, or eliminate permit requirements for loblolly pine unless they are already spaced at least 20' apart from neighboring trees and structures.
   
• Prohibit grade changes (e.g., excavation or fill), soil compaction or other tree damage within the drip line of established pines to be retained on construction sites (e.g., mandate tree protection zones and physical barriers).
   
• Encourage removal and discourage retention of loblolly pine in site plan reviews of new development projects. Given the cost of SPB suppression programs to local government, retention of loblolly pines at spacing less than 20' apart from neighboring trees and structures should be prohibited.
   
• Development proposals submitted to the City/County should state that in required buffers or in areas where native vegetation is to be retained, loblolly pines shall be retained on spacing at least 20' apart from neighboring trees and structures. Prior to issuing the certificate of occupancy on new construction, on-site inspection should assure this condition has been met.
   

II. Government Practices, Procedures, Policies and Programs:

• Prohibit off-site planting of loblolly pine in city/county/state projects and properties.
   
• On city/county/state property or easements, reduce and maintain the number of loblolly pines so that pine basal area is  < 100 sq. ft. per acre. Conservation or natural areas should be managed to minimize off-site regeneration of loblolly stands.
   
• On city/county/state properties, remove individual trees and groups or stands of loblolly pine that are mature to overmature and characterized by reduced radial growth, flat-topped crowns and sparse foliage. Follow up such removals with managed reforestation that prevents off-site regeneration of loblolly pine or other conditions highly susceptible to southern pine beetle.
   
• Where revenues have been generated through salvage harvest operations to control/eliminate southern pine beetle infestations on government-managed public lands, a portion of these funds should be returned to the site and its property manager to pay for reforestation and management efforts that will eliminate off-site loblolly pine and otherwise prevent highly susceptible stand conditions from occurring in the future.   Similar administrative procedures have been enacted in the state of Louisiana.
   
• Provide a one-year property tax credit (e.g., 10%) for small landowners (i.e., < 40 acres) who implement SPB risk reduction measures that result in an average residual tree basal area between 40-80 sq. ft. per acre or a minimum of 20 ft. distance between trees > 6" dbh, or eliminate more than 30% of the large (> 10" dbh) loblolly pine on site.
   
• Develop and implement local programs to inform and educate landowners about the need to manage trees and forests to reduce the individual and community risks and costs of future tree mortality while simultaneously increasing the resistance, resilience and other benefits derived from healthy trees. The "Florida Firewise Communities" program provides a recent model of such efforts.
   
• Provide nursery-grown, suitable and desirable replacement trees of species indigenous to the region, free of charge to those individuals who have removed live uninfested loblolly pine greater than 10" dbh, in areas zoned residential or commercial. Offer a replacement tree for every loblolly removed up to a limit of five per household/property.
   

III. Other Additional Measures:

• Investigate the technology, necessary infrastructure and other issues of developing a cogeneration energy production facility that could utilize pine and other biomass, thereby providing an alternative and economical outlet for otherwise unmerchantable and unwanted wood.
   
• Request the State's Insurance Commissioner to explore the possibilities and feasibility of offering future homeowner/property insurance polices that cover some of the costs associated with SPB losses and control efforts.
   
• Contact Florida's Representatives and Senators in the U.S. Congress and ask that they strongly and fully support funding of the USDA Forest Service's proposed SPB Initiative. This initiative is a comprehensive, integrated pest management strategy for reducing both the immediate and long-term threats to forest resources and associated impacts to communities.
   
• Encourage local governments, communities, homeowner's associations, individuals, etc., to develop and support their own contingency fund to more effectively manage threats to their individual and collective tree/forest canopy. The southern pine beetle is just one of a variety of organisms that has the potential to dramatically alter landscapes on an areawide basis irrespective of individual property lines, type of land use and management activities. Other pests include an array of exotic insects, pathogens and weeds.
   
• Consider generating a relatively consistent and dedicated source of local "forest health" program funds to support the constant and integrated management strategies necessary to effectively prevent and suppress areawide SPB activity or similar threats to the communities' trees and forests. This could be achieved through a special property tax assessment such as has occurred or occurs for libraries, garbage collection, fire and police protection, mosquito control and, elsewhere, tree care (e.g., Cincinnati, Ohio).