A Misplaced Sense of Risk: Variation in U.S
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United States Department of Agriculture A MISPLACED SENSE OF RISK: VARIATION IN U.S. STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT OF RISKS POSED BY NEW SPECIES INTRODUCED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES Roy G. Van Driesche, Robert M. Nowierski, and Richard C. Reardon LEVEL OF REGULATION FISH & FUR-BEARING ANIMALS PETS HORTICULTURE ANIMALS VECTORING DISEASE BIOCONTROL AGENTS nutria LEAST REGULATED Burmese python MOST DANGEROUS kudzu smothering trees kudzu native frog killed by chytrid fungus fire belly toad thistle-feeding weevil trees being killed by nutria MOST REGULATED python eating deer LEAST DANGEROUS thistle seedhead destroyed by weevil HORTICULTURE ANIMALS VECTORING DISEASE FISH & FUR-BEARING ANIMALS PETS BIOCONTROL AGENTS LEVEL OF RISK Forest Health Assessment FHAAST-2019-02 and Applied Sciences Team July 2020 The Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team (FHTET) was created in 1995 by the Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry, USDA, Forest Service, to develop and deliver technologies to protect and improve the health of American forests. FHTET became Forest Health Assessment and Applied Sciences Team (FHAAST) in 2016. This booklet was published by FHAAST as part of the technology transfer series. https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/applied-sciences/index.shtml Cover Photos: (a) nutria (Philippe Amelant, Wikipedia.org); (b) Burmese python (Roy Wood, National Park Service, Bugwood.org); (c) kudzu (Marco Schmidt, iNaturalist.org); (d) fire belly toad (Kim, Hyun-tae, iNaturalist.org); (e) thistle- feeding weevil (Eric Coombs, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org); (f) kudzu blanketing trees (Kerry Britton, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org); (g) native frog killed by chytrid fungus (Brian Gratwicke, iNaturalist. a b c d e org); (h) trees being killed by nutria (Gerald J. Lenhard, Louisiana State University, Bugwood.org); (i) python eating a deer (Alex Griffiths, Wikipedia.org); (j) thistle seedhead destroyed by weevil (Eric Coombs, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org) f g h i j The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Forest Service of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Federal Recycling Program Printed on Recycled Paper A MISPLACED SENSE OF RISK: VARIATION IN U.S. STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT OF RISKS POSED BY NEW SPECIES INTRODUCED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES Roy G. Van Driesche Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA; [email protected] Robert M. Nowierski USDA /NIFA, Kansas City, MO; [email protected] Richard C. Reardon FHAAST (retired), USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, WV; [email protected] FHAAST-2019-02 July 2020 VARIATION IN U.S. STANDARDS FOR INTROD UCING NEW SPECIES Acknowledgments We thank Joseph Milan (BLM), Susan Jewell and Dolores Savignano (USFWS), Robert Pfannenstiel (USDA, APHIS), Dan Simberloff (University of Tennessee), Howard Frank (University of Florida), Norm Leppla (University of Florida), Mark Wright (University of Hawaii), and Lynn LeBeck (University of California) for their helpful reviews, which improved this publication. We extend our gratitude to all of the photographers who granted permission for the use of photos. This publication was produced by Richard Reardon (FHAAST), and the layout was designed by Rachel Winston (MIA Consulting). During his career, Richard Reardon produced over 100 outreach publications in the FHTET/FHAAST Technical Series to improve communication and information transfer between scientists, land managers, and the public. The authors here join the biocontrol community in thanking Dr. Reardon for his long-term support. Roy Van Driesche thanks Rachel Winston for her editing diligence and detailed development and improvement of this publication. For additional copies of this publication, contact: Denise Binion FHAAST, USDA Forest Service, 180 Canfield Street, Morgantown, WV 26505; 304.285.1552; [email protected] This publication is available online at: https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/FHAAST-2019-02_Misplaced_Sense_Risk.pdf How to cite this publication: Van Driesche, R.G., R.M. Nowierski, and R.C. Reardon. 2020. A Misplaced Sense of Risk: Variation in U.S. Standards for Management of Risks Posed by New Species Introduced for Different Purposes. FHAAST-2019-02. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/FHAAST-2019-02_Misplaced_Sense_ Risk.pdf. VARIATION IN U.S. STANDARDS FOR INTROD UCING NEW SPECIES TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 GROUP #1: FORESTRY, FORAGE, AND FODDER PLANTS ........................................................................ 12 History of U.S. Introductions of Forestry, Forage, or Fodder Plants ............................................................12 Regulation of Risks: What were the Perceived Problems? ...........................................................................13 Risk-Regulation Profile for Forestry, Forage, and Fodder Plants ................................................................ 14 Risk 1: Direct attack on non-target species .............................................................................................................. 14 Risk 2: Potential to harbor pest insects, mites, or nematodes ............................................................................... 14 Risk 3: Potential to vector pathogens to non-target plants ..................................................................................... 14 Risk 4: Potential to become pests in crops ................................................................................................................. 14 Risk 5: Potential to degrade native habitats or ecosystems .................................................................................... 15 Risk 6: Potential to reduce density of native species by changing food webs...................................................... 15 Summary of Risk Regulation for Forestry, Forage, or Fodder Plants .........................................................15 GROUP #2: ORNAMENTAL PLANTS .......................................................................................................... 16 History of U.S. Introductions of Ornamental Plants ...................................................................................... 16 Regulation of Risks: What were the Perceived Problems? .......................................................................... 16 Summary of Risk Regulation for Ornamentals ...............................................................................................17 GROUP #3: CROP PLANTS ...................................................................................................................... 18 History of U.S. Introductions of Crop Plants ..................................................................................................18 Regulation of Risks: What were the Perceived Problems? ...........................................................................18 Summary of Risk Regulation for Crops ...........................................................................................................18 GROUP #4: TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS FOR RANCHING OR VIEWING ................................................... 20 History of U.S. Introductions of Terrestrial Mammals for Ranching or Viewing ...................................... 20