Oregon Department of Forestry

Promoting and Practicing Sustainable Forestry

Exotic Pests of Oregon’s Forests:

Wyatt Williams Invasive Species Specialist CONNECT Conference The Welches April 23, 2015

Causes, Consequences and Control

Invasive Species Specialist, ODF

Focus: All invasive species of Oregon’s non-federal forestlands. Emphasis put on preventing new invasions. Also concentrate on controlling priority existing populations.

ODF’s Forest Health Team

Jim Cathcart, Manager

Danny Norlander, Survey Specialist

Alan Kanaskie, Forest Pathologist

Jon Laine, Forest Health Technician

Christine Buhl, Forest Entomologist

What is an invasive species?

Hypothetical community

Native Non-native Pests

- Non-native origin - A pest - Tremendous negative consequences

What is an invasive species?

Hypothetical community

Native Non-native

Pests

Invaders

- Non-native origin - A pest - Tremendous negative consequences

What is a “pest”?

Hypothetical community

Native Non-native Pests

- Non-native origin - A pest - Tremendous negative consequences

Pest noun \΄pest\

: any [organism] that causes problems for people (Merriam-Webster dict.)

: any organism judged as a threat to human beings or to their interests. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Why are the major negative consequences?

1. $120 billion/year in U.S.

2. Vectors of disease

3. Alter ecosystem functioning

4. Widespread species extinctions • Second only to habitat degradation

Nile perch has caused hundreds of extinctions

Avian malaria & island birds

Scotch broom invasion Cheatgrass & fire

How do forest invasive species get to U.S.?

1. Live plant trade (~70% of species)

2. Wood packing material (~25% of species)

Oregon situation for two international pathways

Oregon Dept. Ag.

• Nursery is #1 Ag. commodity • Oregon ranks 3rd in Nation • $700+ million in sales

• 40 million tons of cargo ($20 billion) annually on Columbia River • PDX imports in 2012: 2.8 million tons ($200 million)

Port of Portland

“Pathways” Solution Approach:

ISPM 15 – implemented 2005

Requirement to treat wood materials: • pallets, crates, dunnage, etc. • must be debarked then treated

Founded 1951

WPM Pathway: Live Plant Pathway:

Domestic pathways

• Live plant trade (interstate movement)

– Example: Sudden Oak Death and Oregon Nurseries

• Firewood, untreated wood products

– 50% of untreated firewood bundles have live insects

– Huge public outreach program: Don’t Move Firewood

www.dontmovefirewood.org General rule of thumb: Don’t move firewood more than 50 miles from its source location

Oregon Firewood import rules

2012 law: firewood sold commercially in Oregon must either be:

1) Locally harvested (ID, OR, WA), or

2) heat-treated (140°F for one hour) & certified

Use local firewood whenever possible…

Forest invaders are still arriving in the U.S.

Aukema et al. 2010. Blue = All non-native forest insects Red = Invasive forest insects and disease

Forest invaders in the U.S.:

• 2.5 exotic insect spp. arrive per year

• 1 new invasive species every 2 years

Distribution of U.S. forest invasive species

- Over 450 non-native forest insect species are established in U.S. Liebhold et al. 2013. Diversity & Distributions

What can we do about invasive species?

1. Prevention

2. EDRR

3. IPM

HISTORICAL EXAMPLE AND FUTURE THREATS

Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) • 1869 in Boston, $800 million in annual costs

• 200+ host trees, including DF

• Serious threat to PNW forests

• Large successful eradication efforts in 1980s

• Effective EDRR tools = successful prevention!

Why is the Gypsy Moth EDRR successful?

• The right tool for the job

• Effective management techniques

• Well-oiled machine

– ODA, ODF, USFS, BLM, APHIS, others

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

• First detected in 2002

• 100+ million trees killed

• All 16 native ash species at risk of extinction

EAB in North America

• First identified, Detroit, MI and Windsor, ON in 2002

• Infestation had been established since ~1992-1993

• Now in 25 states, 2 provinces

Likely introduced via infested wood packing material

Feb 2015

EAB –1st detections in 2013

Date State Means

Fall 2013 WI Infested tree, Contract arborist

Fall 2013 IN Infested tree, Forester

Fall 2013 IL Infested tree, Ag staff

Fall 2013 CO Infested tree, Forester

Summer 2013 VA EAB trap

Summer 2013 WI Infested tree, City workers

Summer 2013 NC Infested tree, Forester

In 2013, 86 new county-level detections across entire U.S.

50/86 or 58% were reported by professionals

=People on the ground are better at detection than the official EAB traps

Ex. The last few EAB detections in 2013:

ODF conducts statewide survey for EAB

Oregon Ash – A widespread and common tree in western Oregon

Risk of EAB to Oregon and Washington

EAB risk modeling conducted by: USDA Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, 2014

Costs of Emerald Ash Borer Invasions

Federal government Expenditures

Local government Expenditures

Household Expenditures

Residential Property

Value Loss Timber

Loss Total

Total $92M $1.7B $760M $830M $130M $3.5B

Aukema et al. 2011. PLoS one.

“Emerald ash borers have become the most destructive and costly forest insect to ever invade North America.”– Deborah McCullough, Michigan State University

Projected costs of EAB in Western States

Removal: $435 M ($290/tree) Replacement: $580 M ($387/tree) New EAB invasion in Boulder, CO could cost Denver metro area ~$1 billion!

City of Portland Street Tree Inventory 4.8% or 72,000 public ash $21M removal $28M replacement $49M total cost to PDX

The effects of EAB in natural areas

Dead and dying native ash in the Midwest. Note dead crowns.

Oregon ash – important riparian plant?

A common scene in western Oregon. Stand of 100% Oregon ash surrounded by grass seed fields and vineyards.

What kind of wildlife rely upon these islands of habitat? How important is Oregon ash in hydromorphology? What would be the fuel loading for wildfires? What will replace Oregon ash if it disappears? No one knows because it hasn’t been studied!!!

Treatments – Eradication/Suppression Visual surveys by tree care professionals. If you see signs, please report!

Delimitation surveys include harvesting and peeling branches. Hard work!

Eradication includes removing host trees in urban and natural areas. Expensive, ineffective.

Treatments - Chemical

• Tree injections

• Systemic insecticides – Imidacloprid

– Emamectin benzoate

• Costly ($100-$500 per tree)

• Repeat applications – every 1-2 years.

• Not feasible on large scale

Treatments - Biological Control

• Three parasitoids introduced starting in 2007

• Tetrastichus planipennisi shows most promise

• Released in 2007-2008, follow up surveys in 2012, Michigan

• 21% parasitism rate

• Rates still rising

Duan et al. 2013

T. Murray

The crux of the problem

• EDRR has not worked in the past for EAB

• 22 eradication attempts in U.S….

• Most, if not all, were detected 4+ years after initial establishment

• We need….

– a better EDRR tool, and…

– statewide preparedness plan

Oregon Forest Pest Detector Project

Goal: Train tree care professionals to recognize and report exotic wood borers

Components: • Training modules • Reporting infrastructure • Develop ‘Invasive Wood

Borer Preparedness Plan’

Asian longhorned beetle Emerald ash borer

Amy Grotta OSU Extension forester Columbia, Wash., Yamhill Counties

Asian Longhorned Beetle – a major threat to urban and natural PNW forests

ALB (Anoplophora glabripennis)

• Broad host range

• Currently in NY, MA, OH

• Eradicated in IL, NJ

• Preferred hosts:

Lesion inside bark Genus Common name

Acer Maple

Aesculus Buckeye, horsechestnut

Betula Birch

Salix Willow

Ulmus Elm www.portlandoregon.gov/parks

! Portland Parks - 2013

Street Tree Inventory

OFPD summary

• OSU Extension program • Five online Modules Powerpoint/short videos

– Invasive Species background – EAB – ALB – Reporting – Communicating with public

• Face to face training • Field courses with simulated damage (Cathedral Park, PDX;

Clean Water Services - Hillsboro) • CEUs, pesticide credits • Kickoff: April 9, 2015 • Three training sessions, 50 professionals trained to date

Forest Pest Detector Course

Module 2 Emerald Ash Borer

(Agrilus planipennis)

Forest Pest Detector Course

• Compound leaf with 5-11 leaflets

• Opposite branching pattern

Features of Ash- Leaves, Branches

YES!

No!

Leaflet

Leaf

Forest Pest Detector Course

Life Cycle ADULT

EGGS

LARVA

PUPA

Forest Pest Detector Course

• Flat with segmented body

• Bore through bark to feed on phloem and cambium

• S-shaped tunnels

• Spend winter under bark

Life Cycle- Larva

Forest Pest Detector Course

• Adults emerge when development is complete

• D-shaped exit holes

Adult Emergence

Forest Pest Detector Course

• S-shaped galleries

• D-shaped exit holes

• Increased woodpecker activity or damage

• Adult insect or larvae

Signs of EAB

Forest Pest Detector Course

Module 3 Asian Longhorned Beetle

(Anoplophora glabripennis)

Forest Pest Detector Course

Introduction Video

Forest Pest Detector Course

• Larva consume phloem and xylem

• Trees decline slowly over time

• Over 80,000 trees lost

• Millions of dollars spent

ALB Damage

vascular tissue

(xylem)

Forest Pest Detector Course

Adult Look-Alikes

banded alder borer (Rosalia funebris)

ALB

Oregon fir sawyer (Monochamus scutellatus oregonensis)

Female Male

Forest Pest Detector Course

Where to Report? www.OregonInvasivesHotline.org

OFPD next steps

• Next training, September ISA meeting in Bend

• Continuing to recruit key professionals:

– Arborists, city foresters, natural area managers, etc

• Partners are developing “Invasive Woodborer Preparedness Plan” for public, communities

Oregon Forest Pest Detector Program is funded by USDA-APHIS and by USDA-Forest Service. Thank you to our partners and stakeholders.

Oregon Invasive Species Council http://www.oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org

Mission Statement:

To protect Oregon’s economy and natural resources

by conducting a coordinated and thorough effort to

keep invasive species out of Oregon and to

eliminate, reduce or mitigate the impacts of

invasive species already established in Oregon.

Next meeting: June 30 – July 1, U.S. Forest Service JH Stone Nursery, Medford. All are welcome to join this public meeting.

www.oregoninvasiveshotline.org

1-866-INVADER

Summary

• Several invasive species taxa threaten forests of PNW • Besides outright prevention, Early Detection & Rapid

Response is most economical way to limit environmental and economic costs

• Oregon Forest Pest Detectors aims to train professionals on signs and symptoms of EAB and ALB.

• We encourage interested parties to enroll in an upcoming OFPD course and help detect invasions early.

Check out the OFPD online, take the course, and become an Oregon Forest Pest Detector!

http://pestdetector.forestry.oregonstate.edu

Questions?

Wyatt Williams Invasive Species Specialist Oregon Dept. of Forestry wwilliams@odf.state.or.us 503-945-7472