| ALB News Update |
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Nationally USDA-Forest Service recently pumped another $23M into New York City’s ALB eradication efforts. The money will be used to remove ALB infested trees, apply preventive chemicals to non-infested host trees, and to continue ALB public outreach efforts. The ALB was initially found killing trees in Brooklyn, NY in 1996. New England All the New England states, including Rhode Island, will conduct ALB survey and detection exercises during the month of August. These exercises are being funded by the USDA-APHIS under its Northeast Forest Pest Outreach and Survey Program. August 2009 marks the 2nd year anniversary of the ALB eradication efforts in Massachusetts. Since last fall approximately 23,000 ALB infested and non-infested host trees have been removed in the Worcester area at a cost of $33M. The regulated ( quarantine ) area is now 66 square miles. Tree removal operations have been temporarily halted for the rest of the summer although ALB detection surveys continue within and outside the quarantine area. A total of 131 saplings were installed in spring at 4 sites in Worcester to launch Worcester’s ALB Reforestation Program. White oak, Black tupelo, and Dawn redwood were among the 14 ALB resistant species planted in Worcester’s Mount Avenue neighborhood ( click to see a complete list of species ). Finally, USDA and city officials announced the start of a pilot chemical treatment program this fall to curb further infestation of the tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle. Four pesticides will be applied to trees either by soil drench or trunk injection ( click to view the chemicals ). While the pesticides do not kill the beetle, they will prevent infestation of ALB host trees according to USDA officials. The fall treatments will start near Labor Day and end around Thanksgiving. Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri proclaimed August as Asian Longhorned Beetle Public Awareness Month. RI Tree Council and the RI Department of Environmental Management have joined together in partnership to administer the Northeast Forest Pest Outreach and Survey Project ( NEFP&OP ) grant given to Rhode Island by the USDA-APHIS. The project purpose is to instruct the public on how to identify and search for the ALB and the Emerald Ash Borer ( EAB ) in Rhode Island. A total of six “ALB-EAB Train the Trainer” workshops were held across the state in July and early August under this federal grant. Also, exotic pest surveys were conducted in the communities of Cranston and Warwick between August 20 and August 26. A total of 46 volunteers who had previously attended the training sessions participated in the surveys ( click for more survey info ). More surveys are planned for the towns of Scituate and Foster during the month of September. |
