24 August 22, 2007 Caledon Citizen

Threats to our forests: A Top 10 List

By Bruce Haire We talk a lot about invasive species but what about our forests but most people think of lakes and not forests. Ministry of Natural Resources forester John Osmok says our forests are nothing like what our ancestors saw and the future may hold forests for our grandchildren that are nothing like what we see. John has his own Top Ten list of insects and diseases that are threatening our forests. Beech Bark disease is a slow moving disease that arrived in the 1800s in Nova Scotia. White scale insects create cankers and can girdle a tree. The front of the disease is moving through Simcoe County right now. been here 15 years before that. This is a jelly like fungus and Butternut is the species at risk. Sirex Wood Wasp Ontario counties where Ash trees make up 90% of a very thin forest cover. John says people play an incredible role in advance the pest by moving firewood and there are already outbreaks in Northern Michigan where it can quickly jump the border at Soo. Once again it kills quickly and could soon move into London, Ontario (The City of Trees) and take out its Ash trees.

Gypsy Moth Fourth on Johns list is the Gypsy Moth which was imported into Massachusetts by a man who wanted to establish a silk industry. It feeds on everything even poison ivy explains John. It arrived in Ontario in the 1980s and 1990s and has a build up of population that peaks every five to 10 years. It can be sprayed with Bt. Pine Shoot Beetle There are many wood wasps in Ontario but the one of concern is the Sirex Wood Wasp which has arrived from Europe. It was first detected in New York State in 2004 and trap sampling showed it was in Ontario the next year. It targets Scots, Red, Pitch and Jack Pine but other Pines may be susceptible. Tree decline is associated with a fungus and toxic mucous associated with the eggs. John says while it has not yet been found, he is sure it is in Simcoe County.

Chestnut Blight

Sudden Oak Death Syndrome

Number one on his list is Chestnut Blight that took out the American Sweet Chestnut from forests across Southern Ontario. John says the Chestnut was a huge component maybe 50% of forests across Eastern North American with a highly edible fruit and valuable wood. This fungal disease came from China and was first noticed in The Bronx Zoo in 1904. It travelled 50 miles per year and by 1940 there were only scattered individuals left. There has been some attempt to grow these trees in Dufferin County outside of the normal range.

Fifth on the list is the Pine Shoot Beetle. It is native to Europe and was first identified in Ohio in 1992. The next year it was in Ontario and arrived in Simcoe County about five years ago. They are a difficult pest to control and can be first seen in the browning of tree tops. But the real worry is that this pest will reach the boreal forests of the North and devastate the Jack Pine.

Asian-Long-Horned Beetle Number eight on Johns list is the Asian-Long-horned Beetle which has seen four outbreaks in North America. They include New York, Chicago, New Jersey and Vaughan on the north fringe of Toronto. The main concern here is the Maple tree. If it gets out, it could devastate our Maples.

Dutch Elm disease The second major disease is Dutch Elm disease which moved through the province in the 1950s and 1960s and still lingers. The current front of the disease is in Saskatchewan. A few isolated trees have survived. The disease arrived from Holland in a shipment of logs.

Emerald Ash Borer Butternut Canker Number nine is the Emerald Ash Borer which as it name suggests targets Ash trees. This Asian species is already in five U.S. states Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Maryland. It jumped from Michigan into the neighbouring

Beech Bark disease

Butternut Canker was first identified in Wisconsin in 1967 and was identified in Ontario in 1991 but might have

Finally, number 10 is a new emerging threat Sudden Oak Death Syndrome (SOD). This fungal disease has spread 300 kilometres along the central coast of California and into southern Oregon with hundreds of thousands of trees dieing or killed. It was being exported by the largest nursery in the world in California because it easily spreads in other common plants grown by the nursery industry. The SOD pathogen creates large numbers of spores and will be transported by humans also in vehicles. This disease has a very, very high likelihood to spread to Eastern Canada, explains John. It is spread easily through various plant species that have been shipped out of California nurseries. The most common are Rhododendron, Camellia, Vibernum, Pieris, Kalmia and Lilac. The rate of introduction (of new invasive diseases) is what is new, adds John. Ontario has over 860 confirmed invasive species. Its the downside of global trade, says John and there are probably hundreds of things we dont even know about. Asked about the future of our forests. John says: I dont even want to answer that because it is so depressing. That they are going to look different, there is no question. If you have concerns about invasive species in your trees, the expert for this area of Ontario is Hugh Evans who works out of the Angus seed plant.