Keeping trees and forest stands healthy during increased spruce beetle activity is an important first step for management. Healthy trees are resilient trees, but keep in mind that a healthy tree is not immune to spruce beetle. The same practices that keep spruce trees resilient against spruce beetle are the same things you probably already do to keep trees healthy in general. But as a refresher:
Water. Provide supplemental water during dry periods, especially in the spring when trees are breaking winter dormancy. This is not always practical on a forest scale but can be important for ornamental tree plantings.
Avoid soil compaction. Avoid activities that compact the soil around the root zone of trees, such as driving or parking motorized vehicles, stacking firewood, or piling snow. Compacted soil limits root access to water, nutrients, and oxygen passing through the soil. If construction is occurring, extra precautions for priority trees should also be considered, such as fencing off the bulk of the tree’s root zone.
Avoid unnecessarily damaging trees. Avoid activities that could damage the trunk of trees. Keep mowers and string trimmers away from the base of trees. Provide mulch for the tree but keep it away from the bark to prevent trapping moisture and contributing to rot. For clearing or logging operations, minimize damage to standing trees from equipment by providing sufficient room for staging equipment and clear paths for moving material.