New York To Send Team Of Experts To Help Massachusetts Fight Outbreak Of Asian Longhorned Beetles
New York State will be sending a team of trained DEC forestry staff to assist Massachusetts in surveying and quantifying the extent of tree and forest damage caused by the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today. A large outbreak of Asian Longhorned Beetles (ALB) has been discovered in Worcester and assistance has been requested to help inventory the extent of the damage and potential threat to surrounding trees.
(Media-Newswire.com) - New York State will be sending a team of trained DEC forestry staff to assist Massachusetts in surveying and quantifying the extent of tree and forest damage caused by the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Department of Environmental Conservation ( DEC ) Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today. A large outbreak of Asian Longhorned Beetles ( ALB ) has been discovered in Worcester and assistance has been requested to help inventory the extent of the damage and potential threat to surrounding trees.
Asian Longhorned Beetles are exotic, wood-boring insects that attack a variety of native hardwood species, including maple, birch, elm, poplar, horse chestnut and willow. Upon hatching, ALB larvae tunnel through the heartwood of a host tree until fully grown, then they burrow out of the trunk as an adult beetle. This process weakens the wood, often causing limbs to fall off, and eventually kills the host tree. Native to East Asia, this invasive species has the potential to cause millions of dollars of damage to commercial forests and devastate forest habitats across the state. A picture and more information about the insect can be found on the DEC website.
So far, over 1,000 ALB-infested trees have been found in the Worcester, Massachusetts area. New York's participation will provide Massachusetts with trained professionals knowledgeable in tree identification, the target pest, and landowner interactions. DEC's forestry team will begin being sent to the Worcester area in early October, with expenses paid for by the United States Forest Service.
"Massachusetts is grateful for the assistance being provided by the State of New York and its forestry professionals in responding so rapidly to this urgent matter," said Richard K. Sullivan Jr., Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. "Once the presence of this insect is detected, it is critical to quickly determine the size and extent of the infestation and to take whatever actions necessary to contain or eliminate it. We also applaud and thank New York for its help in eliminating the movement of firewood between the states."
"In addition to helping assess the damages this destructive insect has caused, DEC's foresters view this as a valuable learning opportunity in their ongoing battle against other destructive invasives," Commissioner Grannis said. This outbreak also serves as a strong reminder of the need for vigilance and, proactive steps to close off as many vectors as possible for entry of invasive insect forest pests into New York. On this front, I strongly encourage residents and, visitors to help prevent the spread of invasive forest pests in New York by carefully adhering to our 2008 emergency rules against transporting untreated firewood more than 50 miles from its origin."
ALB and many other exotic pests such as the Emerald Ash Borer and Sirex Wood Wasp can unintentionally be transported long distances via human activity - especially the hauling of firewood. To limit this risk, New York prohibits the importation of firewood into the state that has not been heat-treated to eliminate invasive species, fungi and pathogens that can harm our trees. The regulations also limit the transportation of untreated firewood within the state to less than 50 miles from its point of origin. More information about this emergency regulation can be found on the DEC website or by calling 1-866-640-0652.
New York State DEC professionals have regularly assisted other states and the federal government in responding to emergencies, including this summer's forest fires in the west, last year's forest insect outbreak in Maryland, and the recent hurricanes in Louisiana. In 1996, New York received help from other states in addressing ALB following the discovery of the invasive insect in areas of New York City and Long Island, and again in 2007 when a new infestation was discovered on Prall's Island off Staten Island.
Invasive species are viewed by New York officials as akin to "catastrophic wildfires in slow-motion" - equating the wildfires that have plagued western states in recent years to the threats that insects like ALB pose to the environmental, economic, recreational, historic and aesthetic benefits provided by healthy forests.
U.S. Forest Service experts have said the Massachusetts infestation may turn out to be one of the biggest that the federal agency has dealt with to date. Already the quarantine area exceeds that in New Jersey and is second only to New York's.
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