Pacific Northwest Research Station

Scientist-in-Residence Established at Prineville Research Center

Annual appointment to further knowledge in Western forestry

USDA Forest Service
Pacific Northwest Research Station

Portland, OR: April 2, 2007

Contact:

Jerry Beatty, (541) 416-6583 or jbeatty@fs.fed.us

Media assistance: S. Richardson-Dodge, (503) 808.2137

PORTLAND, Ore. April 2, 2007. An exotic beetle that has killed about 20 million trees in the mid West over the past 5 years will be studied as a preventive measure to control its potential movement further West. A Prineville, Ore., based federal research center recently announced a visiting scientist program of which the emerald ash borer will be the first target study.

William “Bill” Jacobi, a plant pathologist and professor at Colorado State University, will assess the movement of the emerald ash borer and the insect’s potential impact on Western landscapes. Jacobi has been named the first visiting scientist at the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center. He arrives in June 2007, and will conduct research, lectures, and outreach activities about the emerald ash borer during his month’s tenure.

“ By studying the likely pathways by which the insect is advancing west, both by natural and man-assisted means, we may be able to stop the spread and get time to develop control measures for this damaging insect,” says Jerry Beatty, Director of the Forest Service’s Western Wildlands Environmental Threat Assessment Center in Prineville.

People may inadvertently aid the insect by bringing firewood from infested areas to cabins or other recreational sites in the West, says Beatty. Movement thru transport of nursery stock, wooden packing crates, tree-to tree spread along steams are examples of other pathways that Jacobi will investigate.
There are at least 10 species of ash in various western wildlands, including some that form critical wildlife habitat along certain streamsides. Ashes are also important shade and park trees in many western cities and have been commonly used in windbreaks by farmers and ranchers.

The visiting scientist program will periodically bring scientists from other institutions to interact with center staff on development of rapid and specific risk assessments. For more information about center activities, please visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/wwetac/