Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§6553 Accelerated information gathering regarding forest-damaging insects

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 84— - HEALTHY FOREST RESTORATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - INSECT INFESTATIONS AND RELATED DISEASES › § 6553

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary, with the Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), must set up a fast program to collect detailed information on insects and diseases that damage forests. The program must study prevention and control methods, how outbreaks affect ecosystems and restoration, ways to use infested trees, and models to predict outbreaks. It must help land managers develop treatments and share the results. The program must work with scientists at colleges and universities (including forestry schools, land grant and 1890 institutions), federal, state, and local agencies, and private and industrial landowners. The Secretary must name which colleges and universities will help carry out the work.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §6553

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, acting through the Forest Service and United States Geological Survey, as appropriate, shall establish an accelerated program—

(1)to plan, conduct, and promote comprehensive and systematic information gathering on forest-damaging insects and associated diseases, including an evaluation of—

(A)infestation prevention and suppression methods;

(B)effects of infestations and associated disease interactions on forest ecosystems;

(C)restoration of forest ecosystem efforts;

(D)utilization options regarding infested trees; and

(E)models to predict the occurrence, distribution, and impact of outbreaks of forest-damaging insects and associated diseases;

(2)to assist land managers in the development of treatments and strategies to improve forest health and reduce the susceptibility of forest ecosystems to severe infestations of forest-damaging insects and associated diseases on Federal land and State and private land; and

(3)to disseminate the results of the information gathering, treatments, and strategies.

(b)The Secretary shall—

(1)establish and carry out the program in cooperation with—

(A)scientists from colleges and universities (including forestry schools, land grant colleges and universities, and 1890 Institutions);

(B)Federal, State, and local agencies; and

(C)private and industrial landowners; and

(2)designate such colleges and universities to assist in carrying out the program.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 6553

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73