Many of our forests and urban woodlands are currently under assault, or have the potential for serious damage, from several aggressive pests and bacterium. Whlie the impacts and practical solutions for these issues are ongoing, and in the early stages of evolving, some information is available that I hope will help those seeking answers to what is unfolding.
As an avid outdoorsman, landscape professional and ardent golfer, what I'm seeing out in the field, within or near golf facilities, is alarming and of great concern. As our forests and woodland settings are the regenerators of our ecosystems, the significants threats they have been experiencing are serious issues.
In America, three pests, two that are foreign invaders, and one native than has shown explosive growth in destructive numbers outside its traditional range, bear watching. All three attack the vascular systems of trees, inhibiting the transfer of nutrients to the tree, much in the same way our human system transports blood to our various body parts. As this ability diminishes, the tree begins to stress, shuts down and then dies, often within weeks.
Public Enemy # 1 - EAB- Emerald ash borer- A faster-moving, invasive pest from Asia that hitched a ride here, probably in packing crates, first discovered stateside in 2002(Michigan and Winsor, Canada). There are two treatment methods showing promise. While no absolutes can be claimed, these both have shown a fairly consistent ability to mitigate infestation and death of ash trees due to EAB. Ideally, treatment should begin shortly prior to EAB being discoverd nearby. An extensive and comprehensive trapping/monitoring network has been set up nationally, with ash-dense forest land and woodland settings getting priority status.
1) Soil -drench or injection with ground probe- Prodect name- Merit, active ingredient-Imidacloprid, treat Mid-Fall, and/or late Spring. Caution must be used when applications are in areas near waterbodies, as studies have shown potential for adversely affecting species of beneficial insects and other wildlife.
2) Trunk Injection-Product Name-Tree-age, active ingredient-Emamectin benzoate, treat early May to mid-June.
Some arborists are combining both as a double-prevention option. The soil drench approach has shown solid results thus far.
Costs vary from $200.00-$500.00 per tree, depending on size and topography. Generally, each treatment last 2 years. Obviously monitoring pest movement, numbers with traps to ascertain activity, and ash tree populations, all are sound compliments to achieving maximum preservation of treated ash trees. It is also advised to vary the size and age of trees selected for preservation treatments, as the research and survival rates have many factors involved that haven't been established yet. It is also hoped that some natural selection will occur among untreated ash trees than show inherent resistance to EAB.
Public Enemy # 2 - ALB- Asian Longhorned Bettle- this is one nasty hombre! Another packing crate denizen from Asia, it has shown a voracious appetite for a wide variety of tree species. The only positve thing about this little piece of work is it moves slowly, so while there are NO KNOWN eradication or preventive treatments, once an infestation is discovered, a quarantine, complete removal and incineration of the tree material will eliminate the problem if complete containment is achieved. Needless to say, this isn't cheap and involves a lot of man hours, so monitoring is crucial and needed to quickly identify and neutralize the beasts! Outbreaks have been dealt with in New York, Chicago and Worchester, Mass. New Jersey also has had limited infestations.
Public Enemy # 3- SPBS- Southern Pine Bark Beetle- Native, but expanding to new areas in prolific numbers, with devestating results for a variety of pine species, primarily due to milder Winters which prevent larvae die-off that formerly restricted their migration. Severe drought conditions in the Mid-Atlantic states also have been associated with their explosive damage, as trees under stress are more easily attacked.
Interestingly, this pest also carries the blue stain funges, which works in concert with the beetle by suppressing the "pitch" or sap pines produce to help defend against pest infestation. While woodpeckers, and some other insect species prey on SPBB, during major population spikes, only quarantine, removal and incineration will suffice to end the threat.
Additionally, BLS- Bacterial Leaf Scorch- an infectious, chronic disease transmitted by xylem feeding insects, has shown dramatic increases of occurence in the Northeast and Mid Atlantic regions during the last several years. With no known cure, it has shown to be a serious problem for certain host trees such as: maples, oaks, sweet gum and American elm, among others. It generally takes several years for the bacterium, Xylella fastidosa, to totally kill the tree, but it becomes stressed and unsightly within a year of infection.
As the complexity and layered overview of all that is involved with these tree management concerns would confirm, a wing-it, reactive aproach to tree care for any property, but especially golf facilities, is unwise. Progressive property owners and management folks understand that a solid relationship with an established, certified arborist team is the way to go. Those that make decisions from a knowledge-based, light footprint perspective, when assessing tree care issues, come out wth superior results in the long term. Why wouldn't you manage the tree canopy component with an integrated approach that compliments the comprehensive care of the turf? They don't function independently, why would you manage them differently? It makes no sense, yet the vast majority of property managers take a wait-and-hope nothing happens approach to their tree concerns.
While this rather sobering information is ment to illuminate, not depress, folks seeking a better understanding of what is transpiring, my hope is that all of us come away with a better appreciation for some of the negative elements this embracing of the "global economy" mantra can produce.
Humanity, being mammals, has evolved over thousands of years. If you look at most mammal species, significant portions of their day are spent resting or in an unstressed state. Conversely, if you look at our increasingly frantic, hard-wired existence...ordered by who...the greedy clowns that seek to wring ever more from every soul possible...it becomes clear...this unsustainble insanity needs a major course correction! So my friends, let's appreciate each other a lit more, take time to share insights with those who add to our lives, and REJECT the nonsense that we don't have to question what the hell is going on once in a while.
Cheers,
Kris
P.S. - Anyone needing more info can kindly IM me your email and cell details and I'll help as best I can.