The Nature Conservancy Calls on Congress to Increase Funding and Strengthen Policy to Combat Dangerous Pests

Conservancy backs recommendations in GAO report citing growing threat to U.S. forests

WASHINGTON, DC ?June 21, 2006?Congress must take immediate action to protect the economic and ecological values of America?s forests against the growing threat of invasive insects and diseases, Frank Lowenstein, director of The Nature Conservancy?s Forest Health Programs, told the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health today.

Congress should increase annual appropriations for the Department of Agriculture?s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, help free up greater emergency funding through the Commodity Credit Corporation, and consider creating a $500 million no-year fund as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat the threat, Lowenstein told the subcommittee.

?Non-native insects and diseases are a critical threat to the ecological and economic health of our nation?s forests, a threat that cries out for stronger leadership and oversight,? Lowenstein said. ?Invasive insects and diseases are now arguably the most significant threat to American trees and forests. Urgent action is needed to improve prevention efforts, and until prevention is improved there will be increased demand for funding of eradication and control efforts.?

Lowenstein described a list of urgent actions needed to stop the spread of forest pests, including having Congress enhance APHIS?s mandate to curtail movement of potentially infected plants across state lines, and for expedited efforts to improve regulations governing live plant imports.

Non-native forest insects and diseases enter the country primarily via two pathways: on live plant imports ? currently some 700 million plants per year ? and solid wood packaging such as pallets and crates. Because native trees have not had the opportunity to evolve resistance to these invaders, they can wipe out entire species and can lead to increased risks of wildfire, poor water quality, and habitat loss for wildlife.

Invasive pests and pathogens also pose a huge economic threat. In New York and Chicago, thousands of trees lining neighborhood streets have been cut down to stop the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle. Should the beetle spread, it could cost cities and towns across the nation $669 billion over 30 years to remove and replace trees.

The emerald ash borer, a tiny invasive bug that has already killed 10 million trees in Michigan and was recently spotted for the first time in Illinois, threatens seven billion ash trees across the country. It?s economic impact on the nursery and timber industry would run into the tens of billions.

?Having already cost this country billions of dollars, destroyed forest health and wreaked havoc on wildlife populations, epidemic populations of certain forest insects and disease are a rapidly increasing problem,? said Rep. Greg Walden, chair of the Forest and Forest Health Subcommittee. ?We cannot sit idly by and let these invasive species take over. We must respond to the threats they pose in a responsible, timely and coordinated manner - working with state and other forest landowners - to restore the health of forests nationwide.?

Among the recommendations Lowenstein made to the subcommittee was increased funding for the U.S. Forest Service to:
? Develop improved detection methods for forest pathogens
? Document the ecological and economic impacts of forest pests and pathogens
? Develop and test biocontrol agents for established forest pests and pathogens
? Develop and test methods for restoring resistant trees to the ecosystem, e.g., chestnut, dogwood, butternut and possibly hemlock

Lowenstein also commended a new report by the Government Accountability Office that said government officials on the state and federal level must do more to fight the spread of invasive species. Among the GAO recommendations Lowenstein said should be implemented are improved science advisory panels that would include political officials, conservationists, and business leaders as well as individuals with marketing and regulatory expertise.

?When introduced forest pests appear, we cannot choose not to respond. Someone will have to respond,? Lowenstein said. ?If the Department of Agriculture does not contain these pests, then property owners and municipal governments are stuck with the bill of removing the trees killed by the introduced pests."

For more information, see the GAO press release and report.