Early Detection, Rapid Response

A recent report by the U.S. Department of Interior, Safeguarding America’s Lands and Waters from Invasive Species: A National Framework for Early Detection and Rapid Response, recognizes invasive species as one of the most significant ecological threats to America’s natural resources. As directed by the Whitehouse’s Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) will use the reports’ recommendations to work with a multi-stakeholder task force to create a national framework for Early Detection Rapid Response.

The creation of a national framework for EDRR by the NISC will support the efforts of stakeholders by:

1. Establishing a multi-stakeholder EDRR Task Force

2. Convening high-level decision makers to assess funding mechanisms for a nation-wide preparedness and an emergency response initiative

3. Advancing pilot projects targeted for high priority areas

4. Scaling partnerships across government and with private, non-profit, and scientific communities

5. Fostering the development and application of innovative scientific and technical approaches to EDRR

Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) proves a critical tool in identifying an invasive species (IS) problem, and containing or eradicating it before it becomes widely established. The eradication of an invasive species reduces the environmental and economic costs associated with both the loss of ecosystem services due to the invasion, and also greatly reduces the cost of managing the problem of an invasion over time.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is currently working to deploy EDRR in response to a newly identified invasive species threat in Portland, Oregon - the Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) Lymantria dispar asiatica. The AGM is a subspecies of the dreaded European gypsy moth (EGM), who are widely known for their prolific destruction of forests on the East Coast. Unfortunately, the AGM is even better suited to wreck havoc than the EGM, as the AGM has a much broader host range, and the female moth is able to fly, allowing the populations to expand further and quicker than the feared EGM. In response to the threat of losing Portland’s prized urban forests to an invasive species, the ODA treated affected areas with an aerial application of the biological pesticide Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (BTK) in the early Spring 2016.

We will keep our fingers crossed that the timely use of EDRR proves successful in eradicating AGM before it establish’s in the deeply loved forest’s of Portland, Oregon!

The attention to the importance of combating invasive species and the development of national protocols are exciting developments! As communities work to protect and conserve their natural resources, EDRR will continue to prove an invaluable tool in the fight against invasive species.

Take a look at the report, “Safeguarding America’s Lands and Waters from Invasive Species A National Framework for Early Detection and Rapid Response” here: https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/National%20EDRR%20Framework.pdf

Please, let us know what you think about these exciting developments!

Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council Summer 2016 Workshops

The Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council (PNW IPC) has scheduled two summer workshops for 2016. Speakers at the 2016 workshops will present research and work on many of the Pacific Northwest’s most significant emergent and aquatic invasive species. The first workshop will be held June 28th in Bellevue Washington at the Lewis Creek Visitor Center. The second will be held June 29th in Portland Oregon at the Metro Council Chambers in downtown.  Both workshops will include the opportunity for pesticide recertification credits as well as Society of Wetland Scientists PWS credits.  Lunch and t-shirts will be provided to all participants.

Oregon Invasive Species Hotline Launches Redesigned Website

The Oregon Invasive Species Hotline, an online reporting and reviewing tool used by citizens and dozens of local and state agencies, has been relaunched with a new look and new functionality. Funding for the Hotline upgrade was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and contributions from members of the Oregon Forest Pest Detector Program and the interagency Oregon Invasive Species Council. The new website will make it even easier for citizens to report sightings and learn about the invasive species that threaten Oregon’s environment and economy.

Hotline visitors can easily search for existing reports by clicking icons on the map, or typing in more detailed searches into a search bar. Photos are now more prominent and easier to add to reports from a mobile phone. The site has been redesigned with smart phones in mind, and reports can be easily made or searched from your phone’s internet browser.

The Hotline was first launched in 2008 and has been an invaluable tool for citizens and managers, particularly for the management of new locations of priority species. The most effective ways to manage invasive species are to either prevent their spread or to quickly manage new sites, and the Hotline provides an easy way for Oregonians to get information about infestations to local managers. With the new redesign and mobile compatibility, the Hotline will be more effective than ever.

The Hotline continues to partner with the Oregon iMapInvasives program, incorporating reports from Oregonians into a statewide invasive species dataset that is further shared with local, state, and national agencies. Both the Oregon Invasive Species Hotline and the Oregon iMapInvasives program are housed at Portland State University and the hotline is managed in partnership with the Western Invasives Network and the Oregon Invasive Species Council.

Asian Gypsy Moth Introduction

THE EUROPEAN GYPSY MOTH

Lymantria dispar, is one of North America's most significant and devastating forest pests. Introduced into North America in the late 1860s in Massachusetts, the European gypsy moth is now a well-documented forest canopy and nuisance pest in its introduced range. Its host range exceeds 300 species of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs. At high populations, gypsy moths can completely defoliate trees, leading to whole tree mortality coupled with other stressors such as drought and other insects.

Gypsy moths overwinter in tan-colored egg masses located on the bark of trees, leaves, or other nearby objects. Eggs hatch the following spring. Young caterpillars are dark, fuzzy, and lack obvious markings. Eventually, blue and red spots become more visible on their backs. Gypsy moth caterpillars spend most of their life consuming the leaves (or needles) of their host trees. Defoliation continues and is followed by pupation. Moths emerge to mate and lay eggs. The flightless white female moths emit pheromones to attract the brown, flying male moths. Gypsy moths have one generation per year.

THE ASIAN GYPSY MOTH

Lymantria dispar asiatica, a subspecies of the European gypsy moth. Similar in most ways, the Asian gypsy moth comes equipped with two additional weapons under its belt: 1) a much broader host range (more than 500 trees and shrubs), and 2) the female moth’s ability to fly, enabling populations to expand quicker and farther than the European gypsy moth.

In 2015 the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and other state and federal cooperators caught two Asian gypsy moths and 12 European gypsy moths statewide. The two Asian gypsy moths were caught near the Port of Portland Terminal 4 area in St. Johns and across the Willamette River in the adjacent Forest Park. Of the 12 European gypsy moths, five were caught in or near Portland Metro/Tri-county area (three in Northwest Portland, one in Forest Grove and one in West Linn). The other seven European gypsy moths were caught in northwest Grants Pass where ODA had been catching gypsy moths in 2014 (four moths) and 2013 (two moths).

USDA convened a Technical Working Group in October 2015 to discuss the Asian gypsy moth catch situations in Oregon and Washington. An Asian and European gypsy moth eradication plan are being developed for the Northwest Portland area in 2016. It is proposed that about 8,000 acres would be treated with an aerial application of a biological pesticide Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki in the spring of 2016 to eradicate the Asian and European gypsy moth infestation. Delimitation traps will be placed in 2016 to monitor the success of the eradication and to pinpoint any remaining populations.

WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

Because we’ll lose a lot trees. Gypsy moth caterpillars have little discretion. As previously mentioned, their host range is great, and they can completely defoliate trees. In a year with sufficient precipitation, deciduous trees that have been defoliated can flush out a new set leaves that season. As outstanding as this sounds, and although a testament to these trees’ apparent health, flushing out a new set of leaves stresses a tree. Forced to undergo this stress for more than one year, trees become weak and prone to other insects and diseases. Gypsy moth can also defoliate coniferous trees such as Douglas fir and hemlock (both dominant species on Forest Park). Unlike deciduous trees, coniferous trees cannot flush out a new set of needles in that same year and are therefore not able to “bounce back” after an attack.

IN SUMMARY, THIS IS WHAT LIVING WITH GYPSY MOTH IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WOULD LOOK LIKE:

• Cyclic defoliation of the trees in Forest Park and surrounding areas, resulting in increased water temperatures and increased organic material in the streams, which will impact native aquatic species.

• Deteriorating forest health conditions coupled with stress caused by drought, resulting in increased tree mortality and the subsequent risk of forest fires.

• Long-term increase in pesticide use due to suppression projects and quarantine regulatory treatments.

• Loss of markets and increased production costs to a variety natural resource and agricultural production economies.

• Increased exposure of migrant agricultural workers to insecticides.

• Overall decrease in quality of life for residents and visitors in and or near forests. Based upon three decades of high density trapping data we know that gypsy moth is not established in Oregon. Furthermore, ODA has decades of experience conducting early detection and rapid response, which has resulted in safe and effective eradication of this pest.

Steel Plates

Asian gypsy moths are not official United States residents. Their home territory is native to Russia, China and Japan. Last year, they hitched a ride on ships coming from Far East Russia loaded with steel plates. They were attracted to the ships by the bright lights used to light up the harbor. Asian gypsy moths love to lay their eggs on smooth flat surfaces, such as the steel plates. Once the ships were loaded with cargo they headed to their destination, Pacific Northwest ports.

The fuzzy brown egg masses arrived here in Portland last spring and some of the intrepid traveling eggs hatched! They found their way into Forest Park and St. Johns and grew up into fully-fledged adults, hoping to make a home for themselves.

An egg mass found on the steel slab during an egg mass search.

The problem with these moths? They love to eat leaves. Lots and lots and lots of leaves. So much they can eat all the leaves off trees in short order, leaving us without the "green" part of Oregon. They also like to travel rapidly. Once they have had a few generations of babies, they can quickly travel to other parts of the state that has yummy, yummy leaves. Trees don't do so well without their leaves!