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SIGNUP FOR 2009 GYPSY MOTH SUPPRESSION PROGRAM TO BEGIN JULY 1
West Virginia landowners can help the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) and the WVU Extension Service fight gypsy moths, the state’s number one plant pest, through the Cooperative State-County-Landowner (CSCL) Gypsy Moth Suppression Program. The 2009 program will accept egg mass survey applications from landowners in 34 counties July 1 - August 31.
The gypsy moth is a non-native, invasive insect that feeds on over 500 species, including West Virginia hardwoods. Defoliation by gypsy moth caterpillars can kill trees, or weaken them substantially, making them more susceptible to other pests and diseases.
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“The gypsy moth is the most serious plant pest in West Virginia. It eats a wide variety of trees and shrubs, and West Virginia’s vast forest resources offer an ideal habitat for this invasive pest to feed upon,” said Commissioner Douglass. “This treatment program helps to safeguard our timber and tourism industries, which are vital components of our state’s economy.”
Historically the gypsy moth has caused more defoliation and tree mortality in the eastern panhandle counties of Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, and Mineral; however, significant damage is also showing up in Monroe and Greenbrier Counties this year. The gypsy moth was first documented in West Virginia in 1972, and the first caterpillars were found in 1978 in Jefferson County. Each year, gypsy moths affect tens of thousands of acres of West Virginia forest and cause millions of dollars in lost forest productivity.
The WVDA visited more than 3,500 West Virginia landowners who signed up 365,801 acres to be evaluated for possible treatment intervention in 2008.
However, unlike past years, federal funding is not likely to be available in 2009 to offset the cost of the program to landowners.
“Regrettably, the current Farm Bill, as it stands presently, has zero federal dollars for this critical program,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “Although I have formally requested that those line items be restored, I do not have much hope that that will happen this year. I only hope that damage to our valuable forest industries – particularly our oak species – is not that significant.”
Commissioner Douglass also noted that funding for a separate gypsy moth control program was cut last year. The Slow-The-Spread (STS) program operated along the southwestern boundary of the spreading gypsy moth range to disrupt gypsy moth mating. The program showered forests with pheromone flakes that mimicked those of the female moth. Rather than killing the adult insects, the flakes made it extremely difficult for male moths to find females for mating.
Although the CSCL program will still be conducted in 2009, landowners will likely have to take on the entire cost of the treatment. Costs for 2009 have not yet been determined. The final tally will depend on the total acres proposed for treatment, the cost of the spray material and aerial application.
To apply, landowners must provide a 7 1/2-minute topographic map with property boundaries clearly marked. WVDA cannot map property for applicants. Topographic maps are available from the United States Geologic Survey at 1-800-ASK-USGS or their website at http://store.usgs.gov.
The minimum acreage required to participate in the program is 50 contiguous acres of wooded land. Adjoining landowners may combine their properties to meet the acreage requirement. The presence of electrical transmission lines, communication towers, etc. may prohibit blocks or portions of spray blocks from being sprayed.
Application forms and brochures detailing the program are available at www.wvagriculture.org/Division_Webpages/plant_industries.html, local WVU Extension offices, and WVDA field offices in Elkins (304-637-0290), Inwood (304-229-5828), Morgantown (304-285-3133), New Creek (304-788-1066), and Moorefield (304-538-2397).
Once applications are received, a forest health expert will visit the property to determine if the level of gypsy moth infestation meets program guidelines. A final decision to participate in the program must be confirmed by signing a contract and making a deposit to the WVDA by December 7. A final payment to the WVDA will be required prior to actual treatment. Notification of the deadline for final payment will be by mail.
Counties eligible for the 2009 program include Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Brooke, Doddridge, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jefferson, Lewis, Marion, Marshall, Mineral, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tyler, Tucker, Upshur, Webster, and Wetzel Counties.
For more information, contact WVDA Plant Industries Division Assistant Director Clark Haynes at 304-558-2212 or Gypsy Moth Program Manager Quentin “Butch” Sayers at 304-788-1066.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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