An imminent threat to trees
Forest ecologist sees little hope for sparing Adirondacks from tree-killing bugsBy MIKE LYNCH, Enterprise Outdoors Writer
Article Photos
PAUL SMITHS - Diseases and pests are the biggest threats to Northeastern forests as we know them today, a leading scientist from the internationally renowned Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies in Millbrook told an audience at the Visitor Interpretive Center Wednesday.
"It's pests and pathogens that (I'd say) if you ask me what has had the biggest impact on the forests in eastern North America in the last 100 years," said Charles D. Canham, a forest ecologist with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. "It's not land clearing; it's not logging; it's not agriculture. It's not any of the things you tend to think of. The things that have fundamentally altered the forests of North America are chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease."
Canham was speaking on behalf of the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program for Adirondack Park Invasive Species Week.
Today, he said the fastest growing threats to forests are pests: the emerald ash borer, the hemlock wooly adelgid and the Asian long-horn beetle, which eats maples and other hardwoods. The ash borer is perhaps the best known now because it's been in the media a lot recently, especially since purple traps hanging in trees went up earlier this summer, around the same time it was discovered in western New York.
Canham said there's no real way of stopping these threats to trees other than developing biological controls.
"We have no real hope of stopping this," Canham said. "Within five to 10 years, all of the ash trees are likely to be dead."
Currently, when an ash borer or long-horn beetle finds a tree, biologists can only hope to contain the spread of these bugs by cutting down the trees where it is found. The trees have no hope of surviving after the ash borer gets to them.
"If the insects find the tree, it's dead in a matter of years," he said.
Public education is one of the best tools we have, he said.
One of the most important rules people need to adhere to is not moving firewood.
"We need to find ways to stop them, and probably the most important is the recent (state Department of Environmental Conservation) regulations on firewood. Never move firewood," he said. "We are inadvertently spreading these things. Once they are established in a new site it is really difficult to stop them."
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Contact Mike Lynch at 891-2600 ext. 28 or mlynch@adirondackdailyenterprise.com.
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JJS1976
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07-10-09 5:06 PM
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I agree Contrary...In my profession, we strive (many times at long lengths) to do the right things...being good stewards of both land and financial resources. Unfortunately, I defend this on a daily basis here in the Park. But there are so many positive things that private land offer- firewood, wood products, buffer to FP for pests/disease, healthy forest, virgorous growing trees, increased carbon-dioxide sequestration and conversion of CO2 to oxygen, etc. etc. etc.
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contrary1
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07-10-09 8:34 AM
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"Never move firewood", sounds a lot more ominous, than restricting the movement of firewood to 50 miles. Given the DEC's recent history of decisions that seem designed to make it increasingly difficult to live in the area, I was getting worried that they would create a firewood police to do warrantless walk-throughs of my woodshed. Responsible conservation efforts sound so...responsible. It's kinda like the way they did things in the old days, when we were employed and considered to be good stewards of the land.
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UPeopleRNutz
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07-10-09 7:48 AM
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Poor natural resource management. NYS has no plan to manage the millions of acres it owns. Forrests are not logged when they should be resulting in sick/infected trees contaminating vast wilderness areas. Deer herds are not being kept in check so nature brings along CWD. Trout have whirling disease. It goes on and on. "Dont Touch" is NOT management!
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JJS1976
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07-09-09 10:26 PM
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twin..there definitely is tax breaks, but at a cost or flexibility to management. A very good buffer to the Forest Preserve is private working forests. As you said, what if these things made it to the FP? The best reactionary procedure is to cut the infected trees plus a boundary/buffer. We can't respond so quickly in the FP. Private lands, however, we can respond within days as opposed to months/year(s) with respect to FP. Another reason private working forests are important in the make-up of the Park. Good point...
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twinrivers
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07-09-09 8:48 PM
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In the Adirondacks many timberland owners receive a tax break for their forestry activities and then the state reimburses those communities to make up the difference. The other concern regarding the timber pests is how the state will be able to protect the Forest Preserve. Maybe there is an accomodation that would allow the DEC to cut trees if it could protect the forest as a whole? Scary stuff.
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FishCric
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07-09-09 6:47 PM
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The one good thing about bad times is it makes people/me think. The problem is my head hurts. I will at least have some satisfaction the next time I vote (:>
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JJS1976
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07-09-09 5:32 PM
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FishCric--You're probably right! Unfortunately, my wood is already taxed...property tax, income tax, severence tax. Sometimes my wood is taxed twice in assessments- once in comparable sales assessment and then they'll tack on the value of the timber, again! I might be biased, but if landowners can't justify a financial benefit of their property due to "public" demands (i.e. gov tax, etc.) then the government should own it. Now, I for one, feel there's probably enough government-owned land, but unfortunately, I don't make the decisions!
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FishCric
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07-09-09 4:46 PM
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I bet Obama will tax wood if he gets a second term. The ground work is being laid.
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JJS1976
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07-09-09 4:21 PM
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---investment.
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JJS1976
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07-09-09 4:20 PM
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Contrary, um...contrary to your note, heating your home, and simply being more concious about where your firewood came from (or how it got to you) aren't opposing forces. Wood pellets, firewood that has been kiln-dried, firewood moved less than 50 miles all work within the suggested control measures. Contrary to what you feel, there is no risk of your family freezing by considering these invasive pests. In fact, these invasive insects could seriously impact forest health and create conditions where less-desirable species grow (species that may not be as efficeint as maple, ash, etc). Secondly, I own timberland in the ADKs...I don't want to lose the value in my timber because someone else couldn't care less. I would love to help provide you firewood, if it will reduce the risk of your family freezing...of course nothing's for free. :) This should tell you that I'm not an "enviro"...just a concerned timberland owner that would like to realize the full value of my inves
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contrary1
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07-09-09 3:20 PM
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Gee, if I didn't know any better I'd swear this study was commissioned by local oil companies. Burning wood isn't a real answer, but after giving billions to oil and coal alternative energy programs the last 3 decades, it's all we've got. Watching Katrina survivors trying to scratch their way outta their attics in New Orleans, I realised I was one power loss away from being a wintertime refugee at -20F. You can worry about bugs, I'll worry about keeping my family alive. Enviros after Katrina couldn't care less about the displaced NO residents, and have actively worked to keep them from returning to the area so they can rebuild it in their own image. With wood, I have the means to cook food, melt snow, heat my home, and insulate myself from a greed driven oil industry. I worry about my family becoming collateral damage, not bugs. If I see any of those bugs on my wood, I'll kill them, OK?
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JJS1976
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07-09-09 12:48 PM
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acwolf, the Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Long-horned Beetle have the ability to fly 1/2 mile and 400-yds, respectively; although their preferred method is to travel on firewood from place to place. Other bugs (ants, earwigs, etc.) like moisture...moisture promotes rot, of course rot provides a nice habitat for more insects. By removing the grass, debris, etc. from the base of the tree, the moisture may decrease preventing this nice little niche habitat; unfortunately, it won't do much to stop these exotic invasive species.
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acwolff
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07-09-09 11:40 AM
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the spread of insects can be reduced by removing grass and green plants surrounding each tree, the natural forest floor with decaying leaves,and pine needles impeades the spread of insects from tree to tree. it work! i've used it to stop infestation
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