Forest thinning and subsequent bark beetle-caused mortality in Northeastern California

▶ Thinning efficacy to reduce bark beetle-caused mortality was assessed after a high incidence of tree mortality associated with drought from 2001 to 2007. ▶ Thinning reduced the density of and percent mountain pine beetle-caused ponderosa pine mortality in mixed-species pine plantations. ▶ Mountain pine beetle-caused mortality was associated with overall stand density calculated from host and non-host tree species. ▶ Thinning reduced the density of, but not percent, fir engraver-caused white fir mortality in mixed-species stands. ▶ Fir engraver-caused mortality was associated with white fir host density.