The Invasive Species Risk Assessment Program (ISRA) provides information to support the detection, prevention, and suppression of invasive forest insects and diseases. Products provided through ISRA include Pest Reports, Risk Assessments (including risk ratings) on invasive forest pests (found on the Exotic Forest Health Website), introduction, establishment, susceptibility, and hazard maps; and sampling design tools. The products were developed by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team (FHTET), in collaboration with several experts both internal and external to FHTET including individuals from: University Academics, the USDA Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program (FHM), Early Detection and Rapid Response Program (EDRR), and Research; as well as the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Center for Plant Health, Science and Technology (CPHST), and Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ).

Invasive Species Risk Maps

Related Products

Marla C. Downing

USDA Forest Service - FHTET
2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. A, Suite 331
Fort Collins, CO 80526-1891
Phone: (970) 295-5843
Fax: (970) 295-5815
Email: mdowning@fs.fed.us

Background

Marla Downing received a Master's degree in Landscape Ecology from the University of Kansas, with an emphasis in Remote Sensing and GIS. She has attained additional education from the University of Colorado in Spatial Statistics and Modeling.

Working as a Biological Scientist for both the USDA Forest Service (FS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Marla has produced a variety of ecological and pest risk assessments. Most recently these risk products have served as the base information in the development of survey sample designs to assist in the detection of invasive forest pests including: Agrilus planipennis, Agrilus auroguttatus, Agrilus biguttatus, Agrilus sulcicollis, Anaplophora glabripennis, Ips typographus, Orthotomicus erosus, Phytophthora alni ssp alni, and Sirex noctili.

She is currently leading an interagency team of FS and APHIS experts to develop risk products for the Asian and European Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth).
Other assessments she has developed or led the development on include:

1. Potential Distribution of oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum) in Anoka County, MN and Fort Hood, TX
2. Synoptic Assessment of Wetland Function: A Planning Tool for Protection of Wetland Species Biodiversity
3. EPA Region 7's Strategic Environmental Assessment
4. Platte River Ecological Risk Assessment
5. A GIS Watershed Assessment and Analysis for Prioritizing EPAR7 Watersheds
6. Spatial Analysis of Farming Patterns on Biodiversity in Western Kansas
7. Identification of Habitat Condition in the Short-grass Prairie Ecosystem in Western Kansas using Remote Sensing and GIS.