Schumer: Long Horned Beetle, Ash Borer, & Aquatic Invasive Species Threatening Adirondack Trees And Waterways-Could Have Devastating Impact On NY Forests, Waterways And Tourism, Fishing And Logging Industries

Press Release

Schumer Unveils Plan to Fund Suppression Programs, Raise Awareness About Threat and to Prevent Spread of Insects and Aquatic Invasives

Asian Long Horned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer, and Aquatic Invasives Could Have Devastating Economic Consequences - Furniture Makers, Lumber Mills, Boaters and Others May Face Potentially Difficult Situation

Millions Of Adirondack Trees Are At Risk From Forest Pests And New Lakes Are Reported With Aquatic Invasive Species Each Year - Steps Must Be Taken to Stop Spread

With the Asian Long Horned Beetle, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) and Aquatic Invasive Species spreading through New York State, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled a four-point plan to fight the spread of the invasive species that are threatening the forests, trees and waterways across Franklin County and the entire Adirondack region. The plan directs funding to organizations equipped with the resources to fight the insects and aquatic invasives as well as raise awareness about suppression, eradication, and control of the spread. Schumer's plan will increase funding available to New York from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and raise public awareness of these emerging threats, in order to prevent their spread throughout the Adirondacks. The plan will also call for better regulations to stop future invasive species from arriving at national and state borders, including increased funding for prevention, early detection, and rapid response programs.

“Invasive species are a blight on our economy and our ecosystem, with the potential to wreck havoc for businesses in a number of industries, including furniture makers, lumber mills and the boating industry,” said Schumer. “Protecting our trees and forests from the Asian Long Horned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer and Aquatic Invasives is critical to the continued economic and cultural vitality of the region and it is imperative that we fund ways to fight it and raise awareness about how to control the spread.”

The Asian Long Horned Beetle is believed to have arrived in North America in the wooden packing material used in cargo shipments from China. Isolated infestations have been discovered in Brooklyn and Amityville, New York, and in Chicago, Illinois. Trees favored by the beetle are predominantly maples, but infestations have also been discovered in horsechestnuts, poplars, willows, elms, mulberries and black locusts. Currently, there is no known chemical or biological defense against the ALB and, in North America, they have few natural predators. In all cases of infestation, the affected trees are cut down and the wood destroyed.

The Emerald Ash Borer is a bright green beetle that kills trees by burrowing into their bark and destroying the trees' ability to bring water from the roots to upper branches. Infected trees usually begin to die within two to three years. Currently EAB has been found in Cattaraugus County in 39 trees, all of which have been destroyed.

Insects like the Asian Long Horned Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer threaten the health of forests and ash trees every year, which in turn threatens the livelihood of communities that depend on the forests. According to the state Department of Agriculture, New York has more than 900 million ash trees (targeted by EAB), representing about seven percent of all trees in the state. Since the beetle was first discovered in North America in Michigan in 2002, the Emerald Ash Borer has devastated forests throughout the country and has the potential to decimate New York's ash tree population. More than 70 million ash trees in 13 Midwestern states and Pennsylvania, as well as many in southern Ontario in Canada have already been destroyed by this deadly pest.

The ecological and economic impact of ALB and EAB is a serious concern, especially to the hardwood industry. EAB defoliation can result in plant stress and possible death. Companies that make products from ash trees harvested in New York, such as baseball bats, will be negatively impacted if EAB continues to spread throughout the state. According to the Empire State Forest Products Association, forest-based manufacturing employs over 49,000 people in New York, and generates payrolls of over $1.5 billion. In addition, ash trees account for over 10% of total wood manufacturing by volume in New York. Without drastic and immediate intervention, industries relying on New York for quality hardwood resources will suffer. In addition, EAB will kill trees and disturb the natural balance of New York's forests, which provide recreational opportunities to many and foster tourism.

ALB targets maple trees, which could impact the county's $182,640 annual revenue from maple producers and its 24,000 tapped maple trees.

Many lake and river communities have also been struggling to manage Aquatic Invasive species. Aquatic Invasive species can lead to the loss of property values, fisheries, recreation-based tourism, aesthetics, cultural legacy and outdoor traditions - all important attributes and revenue generators supporting local economies in the Adirondacks. Of the more than 200 lakes that have been surveyed in the Adirondack Region, at least 54 lakes are invaded by Aquatic Invasives. Of those, 50 have Eurasian watermilfoil and at least 14 have variable-leaf watermilfoil, including Lake Placid this year.

Schumer noted that one invasive species of particular concern is didymo, which has recently been discovered south of Albany, but can be transferred to a lake or stream by a single drop of water containing the single cell organism. The didyo forms mats of algae that smother native plants and starve the animals which feed on them. It also changes the important habitat used for trout spawning and for their food sources, such as aquatic insects. Since didymo first invaded the Northeast in 2006, it has caused nuisance blooms in New York streams in both of the subsequent summers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared that didymo is increasingly threatening local waterways.

To help prevent the spread of ALB, EAB and Aquatic Invasives in Franklin County and other areas around the region, Senator Schumer today unveiled a comprehensive, four-point plan to fight the invasives:

* Call on Congresses' Agriculture Appropriations Conference Committee to fully fund USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) battle against Ash Borer and the Asian Long Horned Beetle. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) coordinates eradication and suppression efforts for emerging plant pests, including both emergency funding and technical assistance to states. APHIS can provide both funding and technical expertise in combating and treating these infestations. Fully funding the Asian Long Horned Beetle program would allocate $35 million to fight the infestation across the country and aid New York City in preventing it from spreading to Franklin County, where it would do millions of dollars of damage. If fully funded, APHIS would also receive $39.7 million to combat Emerald Ash Borer and halt it from gaining a foot hold in New York.

* Urge the Forest Service to approve and release funding to fight EAB. New York's DEC has applied for Economic Recovery funds made available through the United States Forest Service that can be used to fight the spread of EAB. DEC will use these funds for the Invasive Species Early Detection and Rapid Response Project and to protect New York's forest resources through firewood regulation, public education and campground infrastructure improvements. This project will utilize seasonal forestry personnel to educate campers, hikers and other citizens to the danger and way ash borer spreads. It will also be used to recruit and train volunteers, expand survey and detection crews and for the development of rapid response teams within DEC to quickly address invasive species out-breaks. Schumer urged the USFS to provide the DEC with its full request of $3.1 million. This will put boots on the ground at local campgrounds and popular parks, as well as in the woods surrounding the current infestation.

* Support New York's efforts to educate the public on the threat of ALB and EAB. The DEC has also applied for funding from the USFS to help enforce current firewood regulations, enact public education campaigns and improve infrastructure at campgrounds to prevent the spread EAB. The DEC has embarked on an impressive public information campaign, putting up signs at campgrounds and parks and educating hikers, campers, and homeowners as to the dangers of ash borer, and the ways to prevent its spread. Schumer said that fully funding the DEC request for $2.5 million for these programs will put 74 additional people on the ground in NYS who will be dedicated to improving and increasing the effectiveness of these programs. Schumer will push fight for a national early detection-rapid response framework at points of entry throughout the State.

* Fully fund the Interagency Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. The interagency Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, governed by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) coordinates federal responses to invasive aquatic pests. It is chaired by the FWS and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the majority of its funding comes from FWS. Over the last few years, funding for the interagency Aquatic Nuisance Species Program has been a paltry $5.3 million, leaving the Task Force perilously underequipped to fulfill its important mission. Schumer requested that the conference committee in charge of combining the House and Senate appropriations bills direct an additional $15 million for the Fish and Wildlife Service for this program. This money would go towards putting boots on the ground, through the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, to battle significant aquatic invasives such as Eurasian milfoil, quagga and zebra mussels, Japanese shore crab and didymo.

Schumer noted that through proper funding and an aggressive campaign, the ALB, EAB, Milfoil and other invasive species can be controlled.

Source