United States Department of Agriculture Risk and Pathway Assessment for the Introduction of Exotic Insects and Pathogens That Could Affect Hawai‘i’s Native Forests Gregg A. DeNitto, Philip Cannon, Andris Eglitis, Jessie A. Glaeser, Helen Maffei, and Sheri Smith Forest Pacific Southwest General Technical Report December D E E Service Research Station PSW-GTR-250 2015 P R A U R T LT MENT OF AGRICU 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 http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust. html 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. Authors Gregg A. DeNitto is a forest pathologist, Forest Health Protection, 200 E Broadway, Missoula, MT 59807. Philip Cannon is a forest pathologist, Forest Health Protection, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592. Helen Maffei is a forest pathologist, and Andris Eglitis is a forest entomologist, Forest Health Protection, Central Oregon Insect and Dis- ease Field Office, 63095 Deschutes Market Road, Bend, OR 97701. Jessie A. Glaeser is a forest mycologist, Forest Products Laboratory, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726-2398. Sheri Smith is a forest entomologist, Forest Health Protection, 2550 Riverside Drive, Susanville, CA 96130. Abstract DeNitto, Gregg A.; Cannon, Philip; Eglitis, Andris; Glaeser, Jessie A.; Maffei, Helen; Smith, Sheri. 2015. Risk and pathway assessment for the introduction of exotic insects and pathogens that could affect Hawai‘i’s native forests. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW- GTR-250. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific South- west Research Station. 171 p. The unmitigated risk potential of the introduction of exotic insects and pathogens to Hawai‘i was evaluated for its impact on native plants, specifically Acacia koa, Cibotium spp., Dicranopteris linearis, Diospyros sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Erythrina sand- wicensis, Leptecophylla tameiameiae, Metrosideros polymorpha, Myoporum sandwicense, Pandanus tectorius, Scaevola spp., Sophora chrysophylla, and Vaccinium spp. Assessments were made by estimating the likelihood and consequences of introduction of representative insects and pathogens of concern. Likely pathways of introduction were assessed. Twen- ty-four individual pest risk assessments were prepared, 12 dealing with insects and 12 with pathogens. The selected organisms were representative examples of insects and pathogens found on foliage, on the bark, in the bark, and in the roots and wood of the native hosts of interest—or closely related host species—in other parts of the world. Among the insects and pathogens assessed, high risk potentials were assigned to the following 16 organisms or groups of organisms: apple stem borer (Aeolesthes holosericea), coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros; during the analysis this insect was identi- fied as present in Hawai‘i), keyhole ambrosia beetle Amasa( truncata), summer fruit tortrix moth (Adoxophyes orana), West Indian sugarcane borer weevil (Diaprepes abbreviatus), white wax scale (Ceroplastes destructor), Acacia gall rust pathogen (Uromycladium tepperianum), Armillaria root disease pathogens (Armillaria luteobubalina, A. tabescens, A. limonea, A. novae-zelandiae), Calonectria morganii, Fomitiporia spp. (Fomitiporia australiensis, F. mediterranea, F. punctata species complex, F. robusta species complex, F. sonorae), guava rust/eucalyptus rust pathogen (Puccinia psidii), Phellinus noxious, pink disease pathogen (Erythricium salmonicolor), ramorum blight/sudden oak death pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum), Uromyces rust pathogens (Uromyces scaevolae, U. sophorae-ja- ponicae, U. truncicola), and white thread blight pathogen (Ceratobasidium noxium). A moderate risk potential was assigned to the following eight organisms or groups of organ- isms: Botany Bay diamond weevil (Chrysolopus spectabilis), coconut stick insect (Graeffea crouanii), Erythrina scale (Toumeyella erythrinae), Eugenia psyllid (Trioza eugeniae), lemon tree borer (Oemona hirta), Platypodid ambrosia beetle (Megaplatypus mutatus), Aecidium rust pathogens (Aecidium atrocrustaceum, A. calosporum, A. carbonaceum, A. diospyri, A. mabae, A. melaenum, A. muelleri, A. miliare, A. myopori, A. ramosii, A. reyesii, A. rhytismoideum, A. royenae, A. ulei, A. yapoense) and Pestalotia/Pestalotiopsis leaf and fruit pathogens (Pestalotia acacia, P. cibotii, P. diospyri, P. dodonaea, P. pandani, P. vaccinii, Pestalotiopsis sp., P. breviseta, P. glandicola, P. palmarum, P. photiniae, P. theae, P. uvicola, P. versicolor). Six priority findings resulted from the analysis: 1. Inspection alone is not 100 percent effective in preventing introductions. 2. The primary sources of introductions are the mainland the United States and Asia-Pacific. 3. There is a strong need to make visitors aware that they are a significant potential source of unwanted introductions. 4. Plant materials, especially live plants, are by far the most important source of pest problems for Hawai‘i. 5. The solid wood packing material pathway needs more scrutiny. Many pests using this pathway have already become established in Hawai‘i, and many more are on the list of potentials. Because Hawai‘i Department of Forestry can only inspect wood packing material that is associated with agricultural commodities, and because wood packing material is not necessarily specified as associated with cargo, this is potentially a pathway that is being insufficiently inspected and regulated. 6. The interstate movement of certain plant materials from Hawai‘i to the mainland is restricted without treatment and certification. Similar restrictions on interstate movement into Hawai‘i are not in place. For the most part, Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service regulations do not discriminate between the mainland and islands of Hawai‘i as far as potential threats. This includes some organisms that are native or commonly found on the mainland. Numerous other observations, both specific and general, are included in the pest risk assessment concerning detection surveys, regulations, and public education/public aware- ness of the dangers of introduced pests and pathogens. Keywords: Pest risk assessment, Hawai‘i, invasive species, Acacia koa, Cibotium, Dicranopteris linearis, Diospyros sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Erythrina sandwi- censis, Leptecophylla tameiameiae, Metrosideros polymorpha, Myoporum sandwicense, Pandanus tectorius, Scaevola, Sophora chrysophylla, Vaccinium. Executive Summary Background, Objectives, and Scope Hawai‘i is unique amongst the 50 states; it was formed and developed over the millennia independently of any other land mass. This has resulted in very unique and distinct species and ecosystems on each island. Because of its geographic isolation, the state also has a rare economic situation, with almost all goods needing to be imported. Over the past decades, insects and pathogens accidently introduced into Hawai‘i threaten native forest ecosystems and urban forest trees. These introductions have increased awareness of the vulnerability of island ecosystems and the need for vigilance regarding invasive species beyond those affecting agricultural crops. In September 2010, the Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife (HDOFAW) requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to prepare a pest risk assessment. The specific objectives of the risk assessment are to: • Identify specific insect pest and pathogen species that could attack species of con- cern in Hawai‘i. • Determine possible pathways for the introduction of insect pests and pathogens to selected native flora of Hawai‘i. • Provide risk assessments for selected pathway/pest or pathogen combinations that are determined to be of most risk to Hawai‘i forest ecosystems. The insect and pathogen threats identified in this assessment should represent hereto unknown threats that use similar transport pathways and occupy