2006 Forest Health Highlights Sugar Maple January 2007 The Resource Special Issues

ew York’s forests provide a In February 2005, a significant forest health issue emerged with the Nrecreational base for identification of theSirex woodwasp, noctilio, a new invasive threat. millions of residents and This new invasive pest of was the subject of an intensive others visiting the State’s statewide trapping survey in 2006. It has now been confirmed in 25 scenic regions. Forests are also counties in the state, from the western tip of the state as far east as productive in timber, providing Hamilton County. Given the relatively low efficiency of the traps employment to 2 percent of and lures currently available for Sirex noctilio, it is not unlikely that the State’s workforce. The other New York counties are also infested but escaped detection manufacture of wood products by trapping. Sirex woodwasp has also been confirmed by trapping in provides $2.4 billion annually to and Ontario, Canada. Forest tent caterpillar was again the most significant defoliator in New York. Heavy defoliation occurred in a band from east of the Finger Lakes to the Adirondack and Catskill mountains. Preliminary • 62% of the State is forested egg mass surveys indicate that will be significant defoliation again in (18,641,300 acres) 2007, despite the fact that a large number of caterpillars were killed by disease this year. Out of the forested area: Moderate to heavy defoliation associated by the gypsy moth • 82.6% timberland • 17.4% noncommercial or occurred in western New York around the Finger Lakes and southern reserved forest land tier areas, along with some light to moderate defoliation near the (data unpublished) New Jersey and Massachusetts borders. The Asian longhorned beetle is still a major concern within the State. A quarantine is in effect encompassing all known infested areas, and all known infested trees are chipped or burned in an effort to eradicate the pest. Major Forest Types: Cooperative efforts to eradicate the beetle from the quarantined areas in New York City and Long Island are ongoing, but progress is slow. Meanwhile, no new infestations outside of the quarantines have been detected. The hemlock woolly adelgid continues to cause damage and mortality to native forest and ornamental eastern hemlock trees. Damage is most severe in areas that have been infested for several years in the Catskills and southeast portion of the State. In some areas a majority of the trees are infested and many of those are in declining health or dead. Pockets of hemlock mortality can be seen from the air in infested areas. No new counties were found to be infested in 2006, but adelgid populations are noticeably increased within the infested areas, and two new infested properties were found in Monroe County in Rochester, where a spot infestation had been thought to be eradicated. The hemlock elongate scale is common in approximately the same range as hemlock woolly adelgid and often, but not always, found in the same stands. SOpecialther Issues Issues cont. RSegionaltewardship Surveys A positive for Phytophthora In the early 1990s, the The year 2006 marked the ramorum, the causal agent European common shoot fifth field season of annualized for Ramorum Blight (Sudden beetle was discovered infesting plot data collection in New Oak Death), was reported pine plantations around the Great York by the National Forest from Long Island in June Lakes. The beetle is primarily a Inventory and Analysis 2004. Subsequent surveys and problem in pine Christmas tree Program. Data will be collected samples all indicated that P. plantations. First found in western and analyzed in a rotating 5- ramorum was not present on New York in 1993, the now panel scheme, with one-fifth the site, and none of the State’s occurs across most of the State. of the plots being visited each other surveys, which centered Pine shoot beetle was not found panel. A subset of these plots mostly on Long Island, found in any new counties in 2006. No are the pathogen. Although a USDA significant damage by the insect co-located Forest Health APHIS quarantine of the site has been reported. Monitoring (Phase 3) plots, as remains in place, it is the opinion Surveys for emerald ash borer the two national programs have of the New York Department of resulted in no finds for the insect, merged. A summary report of Environmental Conservation and but many more stands with ash Forest Health Monitoring in the most other experts that the initial showing various symptoms of Northeast can be found at http:// lab result was false. In 2006, 30 decline were mapped. A few cases fhm.fs.fed.us. more locations were surveyed of ash yellows were found in these tewardship for the disease, with all samples stands as well. S testing negative for the pathogen. An early snow storm on Oc- Among the several NY DEC A bacterial leaf scorch tober 12th felled trees and broke programs that contribute to survey in southern New York re- limbs in western New York, with forest health improvement, the sulted in positive finds in Kings the most serious damage centered Stewardship Program has the County in Brooklyn, Rockland around Erie and Niagara counties. potential to reach a large number County, and Westchester County. The extent of the damage has not of forest landowners. All forest This pathogen is a problem on management plans prepared hardwoods in New Jersey. under the Stewardship Program Butternut canker is common include a forest protection in New York wherever butternut component. The planning is found. It is uncommon to process helps alert forest see a symptom-free butternut. landowners to potential and Dogwood anthracnose existing forest health conditions continues to affect understory and procedures to protect forest and ornamental flowering resources. dogwood across the state. Symptoms of beech disease and Dutch elm disease For More Information NY Dept. of Environmental Forest Health Protection Conservation USDA Forest Service Division of Lands and Forests P.O. Box 640 625 Broadway Durham, NH 03824 Albany, NY 12233 (603) 868-7709 State and Private (518) 402-9425 Forestry