• Irland, Lloyd C.
  The Irland Group
  

During the years 1970-1985, Maine spruce-fir forests endured an intense

outbreak of spruce budworrn, C. fumiferana Clem. The outbreak imposed heavy

costs in timber mortality, growth loss, and value loss. Additional costs were

higher harvesting and processing costs, increased safety risks, and a measure

cf adverse effect, from accelerated change in wildlife and fish habitat. Costs

of spray and other treatments were substantial. A number of effects can

arguably be classed as benefits. These include broadening the industry's raw

material mix, increased employment during the salvage period, increased

scientific research, improved forest inventories, and generally improved

incentives for upgrading spruce-fir management. Effects that could be viewed

as uncertain, positive, or as adverse, depending on the perspective taken,

include the development of an improved range of insecticides and application

methods; the accelerated mechanization of logging; reductions in utilization

st¡standards; and the roading of remote areas.