Slash includes branches and small diameter sections of tree stems. There are several ways to ensure slash in the forest will not support breeding populations of bark beetles. These treatments include logging and scattering or piling and burning. In some intensively managed forest stands, such as state parks, chipping may be applied. To be effective, these treatments must be completed within five weeks of slash generation, or before beetle broods emerge.
Immediate treatment is always best.
Avoid logging and tree removal activities if green slash must be left untreated on the ground in spring and summer. The effectiveness of this method depends on heat exposure and drying. Scatter the slash in a sunlit area. Heat from the sun warms the slash and increases the rate of drying in the inner bark, reducing the breeding success of bark beetles. Disposal of woody debris by burning can be integrated into prescribed burning programs.