Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) outbreaks are natural distu
rbances that cause heavy spruce-fir mortality in eastern Canada and thereby
result in large uncertainty in forest structure and productivity. The Spru
ce Budworm Decision Support System (SBW DSS) was developed by the Canadian
Forest Service from 1992 to 1996. From 1996 to 1999, it was operationally i
mplemented, on a cost-shared basis with industry and the provincial governm
ent, on all 8 million hectares of forest in New Brunswick, Canada; it is al
so being implemented for test landbases in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Th
e SEW DSS models marginal timber supply benefits (m(3)/ha) and the forest s
tructure consequences of alternative management actions and facilitates inc
orporation of effects of insect damage into forest management planning. It
permits evaluation of costs, benefits, and consequences of management, opti
mizes pesticide use (if desired), and improves visualization of the consequ
ences of pest outbreaks and management strategies on forest performance ind
icators. We will describe the SEW DSS and discuss lessons learned related t
o funding and partnerships, DSS design and development, training and implem
entation, and future directions for the system. Many of the lessons learned
are applicable to a wide variety of forest management DSS. (C) 2000 Elsevi
er Science B.V. All rights reserved.