The Biological Control program's core mission is to contribute to biological control technology by sponsoring and cooperating in projects to enhance the use of natural enemies (parasites, predators, and pathogens) and by offering leadership, expertise and information about biological control technology and its implementation in integrated pest management programs.

• Biocontrol of arthropods: hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) in the eastern U.S.; amber-marker birch leafminer (Profenusa thomsoni) in Alaska; elongate hemlock scale (Fiorinia externa) in the eastern U.S.; and emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) in north central U.S.
• Biocontrol of weeds: mile-a-minute weed (Persicaria perfoliata) in the eastern U.S.; Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in the eastern and western U.S.; kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) in the southeastern U.S.; tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in the eastern U.S.; and Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) in the southeastern U.S.

The Biological Control program provides support nationwide to the Forest Service's State and Private Forestry staffs, National Forest staffs, other U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior staffs, and other federal, state, and local, and international organizations involved in pest management.

• Organization of meetings to identify opportunities and develop strategies for biological controls for arthropod and weed species
• Facilitating (with other USDA staffs) systematic implementation of biological control in integrated pest management (IPM)
• Offering leadership, training, expertise, and information on biological control for State and Private Forestry and Forest Health staffs nationwide
• Publication of biological control studies, plans and other information
• Forming partnerships and providing leadership in the use of biological controls to maintain forest health
• evaluation and development of biological controls for potential exotic pests

Biological control of arthropods

• Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) in the eastern United States
• Amber-marker birch leafminer (Profenusa thomsoni) in Alaska
• Elongate hemlock scale (Fiorinia externa) in the eastern U.S.
• Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) in north central U.S.
  

Biological control of weeds

• mile-a-minute weed (Persicaria perfoliata) in the eastern U.S.
• Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) in the eastern and western U.S.
• garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in the eastern and western U.S.
• kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) in the southeastern U.S.
• tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in the eastern U.S.
• Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) in the southeastern U.S.

Richard Reardon

USDA Forest Service - FHTET
180 Canfield Street
Morgantown, WV 26505
Phone: (304) 285-1566
Fax: (304) 285-1564
Email: rreardon@fs.fed.us

Background

Richard Reardon received a B.S. in Wildlife/Fisheries Management from Utah State University and a M.S. and Ph.D in Forest Entomology from the University of Michigan. He worked for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Forest Service (Research and State and Private Forestry) to develop biopesticides and biological controls for agricultural and forest pests. Dick joined the Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team in 1995.