The objective of this study was to develop an integrated geographic information system (GIS) cellular automata (CA) model
for simulating insect-induced tree mortality patterns in order to evaluate the influence of different forest management activities
to control insect outbreaks. High-resolution multispectral images were used to determine susceptibility of trees to attack,
whereas the GIS-based CA model simulated the effectiveness of clear-cuts and thinning practices for reducing insect-induced
tree mortality. The results indicate that thinning susceptible forests should be more effective than clear-cutting for reducing
tree loss to insect outbreaks. This study demonstrates the benefits of an integrated approach for understanding and evaluating
forest management activities and expresses the need for spatial analysis and modeling for improving forest management practices.
Keywords cellular automata (CA) - geographic information systems (GIS) - remote sensing (RS) - spatial modeling - forest management - forest insect outbreaks - mountain pine beetle