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USDA United States X'orest Northeastern Area 180 Canfield Stneet I)enartment of Service State and Private Forestry Morgantown, WV 26505-3101 Agriculture - File Codq 3400 Date jaluafy 25,2007 Mr. Steve Atzert, Project Leader Edwin B. Forsythe Koi,n P.O. Box 72,800 Crreat Creek Road Oceanville, NI0823l

Dear Mr. Atzeft. sfi

On November 16, 2006, USDA Forest Service personnel conducted a gypsy moth egg mass survey at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Kevin Holcomb and Vinny Turner, of your staffassisted us during the survey. According to our records, this was the first gypsy moth egg mass survey ever conducted at the Refuge. The purposes of this survey were to determine gypsy moth population densities and to assess the potential for defoliation in2007.

The survey started in the northern portion ofthe Refuge in Brick Township on the deCamp Wildlife Trail and progressed southward through the old Game Farm and finished near the town of Manahawkin. A total of six acres were surveyed. The survey consisted of casually walking a distance of at least 200 yards in each area while scanning tree boles and branches for gypsy moth egg masses. I am pleased to report that no new (2006) egg masses were detected and only a handful of old egg masses (2005 and beforQ were detected. During the survey, Kevin and Vinny were shown how to differentiate between old and new egg masses.

Based on the results of the survey, no defoliation is likely to occur at the Refuge in 2007. For your information, I have enclosed a map at the defoliation that was detected in the state of in 2006 @igure 1).

Due to time and budget constraints, Forest Service personnel will conduct a gypsy moth egg mass survey only by request. As discussed with Kevin and Vinny during our survey, refuge personnel should conduct a preliminary egg mass survey to determine if a survey by the USDA Forest Service is warranted. In your area, gypsy moth egg masses will be laid from the middle of June through the middle of July. Although the best time to survey is after leaf ofi, egg mass surveys can be started in August. To allow time for a secondary survey, if warranted, the preliminary egg mass survey should be completed by the end of September and the results sent to us shortly thereafter.

The preliminary egg mass survey should be concentrated in areas that are atleast 25 percent oak and should follow the protocol similar to the survey conducted on November 16. Although this egg mass survey technique may not provide the most accurate estimate of a gypsy moth population, it is a fast and easy technique that is suffrcient for a preliminary survey.

lf warranted, the USDA Forest Service will conduct a more intensive survey using ll4th acre fixed radius plots. Using this technique, all new egg masses observed on the overstory trees, understory vegetation, ground litter and duffin a fixed 17.6' radius plot are tallied. The total number of egg masses for each plot will be multiplied by 40 to determine the number of egg mass per acre. The number of egg masses per acre for each plot in anarea are then averaged to

@ Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on R$ycled Paper .s determine the number of egg masses per acre for an area. At eachll40h acre plot, egg mass length will also be measured at the plots to determine the overall "health" of the gypsy moth population and as a measure of egg mass fecundity. If available, 3 egg masses will be measured at each plot and the lengths of all egg masses measured in an area will be averaged. The average egg mass length and the number of egg masses per acre are used in predicting the intensity of defoliation for the following year.

Another survey that our ofiice provides to federal landowners is an aerial detection survey that is conducted annually in June or July. This survey is used to detect and map insect and disease damage, mortality, wind events, etc. If desired, an aerial survey can be conducted at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR. Just provide me a map showing the forested areas ofthe Refuge before April 30.

Please contact me at 304-285-1555 if you have any questions regarding this gypsy moth egg mass suryey or survey letter.

Sincerely, Ii'"f''t-^ P.e*,, *. r"' RODNEY L. WHITEMAN Forester Forest Health Protection

Enclosure

Cc: Noel Schneeberger, AO Joe Zoltowski, NJDA George Koeck, NJDF Kevin Holcomb, Forsythe NWR / Vinny Turner, Forsythe NWR

RLWblm Figure 1. -- Gypsy Moth caused defoliation in New Jersey in 2006.

Passaic

Bergen

Morris Essex

Warren Union

Hunterdon

Monnoutlt-.'al^ G.d Mercer

j.r € iI.a

Ocean ,

Gloucester a ),,i,'" Salem

Cumberland f '.i'

(D Moderate Defoliation 20100 20 Miles (D Heavy Defoliation a )

DIVISION OF PARKS & FORESTRY _ NJ FOREST SERVICE (NJFS) GYPSY MOTH EGG MASS SURVEY _ 2006

As part of the Forest Health Monitoring Program, a gypsy moth biological egg mass survey was initiated on August 15,2006 by NJFS personnel from each regional office; Northern, Central, Southern and Trenton. The survey consisted of evaluating each state park and forest where gypsy moth defoliation occurred as per aerial suryey, ground truthing and areas known to have historical populations. This survey lasted approximately five - (5) weeks and was completed on September 23,2006. The survey protocol establishes ll4}*. a"re plots to determine the extent and severity of gypsy moth populations. The viability of egg masses and future infestations / popuiations is based on their size and aggregation. The minimum criteria for considering spraying is 500 egg masses per acre measured as 13 egg masses per 1/40th acre plot. In-Brendan T. Byme (BTBSF) State Forest the survey indicated egg mass counts are as high as 40,000 per acre. In locations where egg mass counts are 4,000 per acre or higher it is recorrmended that multiple applications of Bacillus thuringiensl"s var. karstaki @.t.k.) are made or only one application of Dirnilin. Results of the egg mass survey indicate a need to treat 27,477 acres statewide (Southern: 6,045,Northern: 21,433) All Division lands surveyed other than BTBSF And Wharton- Green Bank (WGB) qualify for only one treatment of B.t.k. Due to the high egg masses detected in BTBSF and WGB, it is recommended that 5,522 acres be treated with one application of Dimilin or a minimum of two sprays or maximum of three sprays of B.t.k. per acre.

The cost of application willbe $40.00 per acre as contracted with Downstown Aerocrop Service, Downstown, NJ. The vendor will be notified by the second week of February 2007 of the exact acres scheduled for suppression in order to prepare for a treatment starting date of approximately May 10, 2007. Total cost of the 27,477 acre program will range between $1,099,060 and $1,497,060 depending upon the material used and number of treatments undertaken. The USDA Forest Service will cost share 50 percent of the spray program if funding is available. Funding or lack of it will not be known until February- March 2007. The NJFS has requested that the USDA Forest Service allocate I million dollars for New Jersey's suppression program" At present there are no federal funds available. Consequently, NJDEP should plan accordingly.

PROPOS STATE FORESTS PARKS _ SUPPRE,SS oN IN 2007

STATE LAND ACRES CONTROL

StokesAligh Point 20,771 Btkx 1 Swartswood Lake 662 Btkx 1 Brendan T. Byrne 5,157 Btk x 2-3 or Dimilin x 1 Wharton 3t4 Btkx I Wharton-Green Bank ' 36s Btkx2orDimilinxl Bass River 106 Btkx I FREC 57 Btkx 1 Belleplain 45 Btkx I 27,477 * ) \

COST ANALYSN 27,477 acres - BTBSF (5,157 ac) : and WGB (365 ac) = 21,955 acres

21,955 acres x $40.00/ ac = $878,160 ( all B.t.k. x 1)

BTBSF Dimilin x 1 Btx2 Btx3 5,l57ac x $40.00 $206,300 $412,600 $618,900 21,955ac x $40.00 @tk x 1) $878,160 $878,160 $878,160 WGB $14,600 $29,200 Total $1,099,060 $1,311,960 $1,497,060 *Acreage may be increased by 1,000 - 2,000 where state lands are adjacent to Department of Agriculture spray blocks. They are just starting their survey. 2006 w Gypsy Moth Defoliation @ a

Brendan T Byrne State Forest .@,

Proposed 2007 Gypsy Moth Spray Blocks

5

Swafiswood State Park & Highpoint State Park

0.5 a12aa ffi %m. ,,@' Bass River State Forest

d5 zs

Forest Resource Education Center B elleplain State Forest

0 500 1,000 2,000 500 1,000 2,otN Fed