Need for wood highlights invasive insect problems
Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2010Months of heavy rains throughout the South have made it difficult for large logging equipment to get into the forests for harvesting. Desperate for wood for its central South Carolina mill, International Paper Co. has begun harvesting from Virginia, New York and Massachusetts -- states infested with gypsy moths, which defoliate a million acres of trees each year in the U.S. USDA has promised to work with International Paper on moth inspections of trees imported to the South for processing to avoid bringing the insect to South Carolina.
Program battles southern pine beetle in Georgia
Posted on Thursday, February 18, 2010The Georgia Forestry Commission is reaching out to landowners to participate in a cost-share program that will help them combat the destructive southern pine beetle.
Toledo to remove thousands of ash trees due to EAB
Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010With help from federal grant funds totaling $400,000, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Forestry, will remove hazardous ash trees in Toledo. The trees pose an imminent threat to the safety of residents in areas of the city most heavily impacted by the emerald ash borer (EAB).
Bark beetles' song could save forests
Posted on Thursday, February 11, 2010Researchers at Northern Arizona University may have found a weapon against the bark beetles: digitally altered recordings of their own calls. The sounds caused the bugs make to stop mating or burrowing, and most importantly, stop chewing away at the pine trees.
Colorado to receive bulk of $40M from Forest Service beetle funds
Posted on Wednesday, February 10, 2010Colorado will receive $30 million of a $40 million federal investment to clear dead and weakened trees from Rocky Mountain forests ravaged by the pine beetle. The Forest Service also will spend $8 million in Wyoming and $2 million in South Dakota to clean up pine beetle-killed trees.
WSJ on invasive species in the global trading system
Posted on Monday, January 18, 2010The Wall Street Journal went to West Virginia to investigate the environmental and economic impact of damaging exotic bugs like the hemlock wooly adelgid that enter the United States in cargo from overseas. WV State Forester Randy Dye is interviewed in a video accompanying the article.
USDA announces additional funding to eradicate the Asian longhorned beetle in Massachusetts
Posted on Monday, January 11, 2010The Department of Agriculture is making $41.5 million in emergency funding available to prevent the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) in Massachusetts. The funding will be used to increase tree surveys in order to determine the extent of the infestation, expand the use of treatments to reduce the beetle population and ensure the timely removal of infested trees.
National Firewood Task Force formed to stem the spread of pests through firewood
Posted on Tuesday, December 8, 2009State and federal agencies have come together to form the National Firewood Task Force (NFTF), which will collect stakeholder ideas regarding the best comprehensive strategy for addressing firewood as a pest pathway and develop recommendations on next steps. The NFTF will focus its work on three primary areas of action: regulatory, voluntary and outreach. The Task Force includes members from the APHIS, the Forest Service, National Park Service, each National Plant Board region and each NASF regional organization. Submit comments or questions to firewood@aphis.usda.gov.
USDA secretary announces $40M to address bark beetle
Posted on Tuesday, December 8, 2009Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week that the U.S. Forest Service will commit an additional $40 million to address public safety concerns and forest health needs arising from the millions of acres of dead and dying trees from bark beetle infestations in the West.
Montana governor seeks regional response to pine beetle epidemic
Posted on Friday, November 20, 2009State Forester Bob Harrington and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer plan to bring the gravity of the state's pine beetle epidemic before the Western Governor's Association to "help craft a regional response," according to Schweitzer. Getting more support from USDA and Interior for prescriptive logging and increasing pressure on Congress to take action on modernizing the country's energy policy are among the goals.
