Invasive Species News

This Month's Topics:

• Help DEC Find Invasive Asian Longhorned Beetles
• One of the Easiest Ways to Help Protect New York's Forests
• Register Now for the North American Invasive Species Management Association Conference in Saratoga Springs
• New Tool: DECinfo Locator

Pool Owners (and Anyone!) Can Help DEC Find Invasive Beetle

DEC encourages New York pool owners to participate in the Division of Lands and Forests' annual Asian Longhorned Beetle Swimming Pool Survey during the month of August. This is the time of year when Asian longhorned beetles (ALB) emerge as adults and are most active outside of their host tree. The goal of the survey is to look for and find these exotic, invasive beetles before they can cause serious damage to our forests and street trees.

DEC is requesting that people with swimming pools keep an eye out for any insects that resemble ALB when checking their pool filters. If a suspicious insect is found, e-mail photos to foresthealth@dec.ny.gov or mail the insect to the Division of Lands and Forests' Forest Health Diagnostic Lab for identification, Attn: Jessica Cancelliere, 108 Game Farm Road, Delmar, NY 12054.

You don't have to have a pool to help stop ALB! Anyone can learn how to recognize and report the beetle, as well as the signs it leaves behind - view photos of the insect and the examples below on DEC's website:

• ALB are about 1.5 inches long, black with white spots, and have long black and white antennae.
• These pests leave perfectly round exit holes (about the size of a dime) in branches and tree trunks.
• Sawdust-like material called frass will collect on branches and around the base of the tree.

ALB is a wood boring beetle native to Asia that was accidentally introduced to the United States through wood packing materials. These pests attack a variety of hardwoods, including maples, birches, and willows, among others, and have caused the death of hundreds of thousands of trees across the country. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM), in cooperation with the animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has worked diligently to manage the ALB infestations in our state and has succeeded in eradicating the invasive beetle from Staten Island, Manhattan, Islip and Eastern Queens.

Top photo: Adult Asian longhorned beetle in a pool
Bottom photo: Exit holes created by an Asian longhorned beetle, photo by Dennis Haugen, USDA FS, Bugwood.com

Protect Our Trees by Following the NYS Firewood Regulation

Did you know you can help protect New York State's forests with every campfire you build this summer (and always!)? Stop invasive pests and diseases by following the New York State Firewood Regulation. Stick to these quick tips, and visit our website for more details:

• Untreated, NY-grown firewood must stay within a 50-mile radius of its source or origin.
• Untreated firewood may not be brought into NY from any other state.
• Heat-treated firewood can be transported anywhere in NY, but it must have a receipt or label that says, “New York Approved Heat-Treated Firewood/Pest-Free”.

Ever wonder about the science behind this regulation? Take this research from the state of Michigan as one example: Firewood taken at enforcement stops in emerald ash borer quarantine areas was analyzed and found to have both live wood-boring insects and signs of previous infestations – meaning some insects had already escaped. You can read the full study online.

NAISMA Conference Registration Now Open

The 2019 North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) conference will be held September 30 - October 3, 2019 in Saratoga Springs, NY. Conference sessions, presentations, and workshops will bridge the geographic divide between West to East and North to South, connecting terrestrial and aquatic invasive species management, research, policy, and outreach initiatives and opportunities across North America.

Check out the conference schedule and agenda details on their website. Early registration is open now through August 15th, with regular registration available starting August 16th.

NAISMA is a network of professionals such as land managers, water resource managers, state, regional, and federal agency staff, and nonprofit organizations. NAISMA's members are a diverse group of individuals who are involved in implementing invasive species management programs at all scales. Read more about the association on their website.

DEC Launches New 'DECinfo Locator' to Increase Transparency and Access to Data and Reports

DEC recently launched DECinfo Locator, an interactive map that provides access to DEC documents and public data about New York's environment and outdoor recreation resources. This first-of-its-kind DEC mapping application generates results specific to locations across the state and includes 50 interactive data layers. Several information layers can be active at the same time, allowing users to see the many ways DEC is working to protect and enhance the state’s environment and recreational opportunities.

Among other uses, the public can:

• Find waterbody inventory/priority lists for all lakes, rivers, streams, estuaries and coastlines in the state. 
• Look up the rules for a nearby Wildlife Management Area
• Access a web page with details about allowed uses on a nearby Conservation Easement

To access the mapping application, visit the DECinfo Locator web page. Learn more about its features from the DECinfo Locator Tutorial on YouTube.