Expansion of Search for Invasive Forest Pests Announced

*Outreach will encompass all 16 Maine Counties in effort to combat growing threat posed by invasive insects*

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) announced two awards that will expand outreach to all 16 Maine counties in an effort to address the growing threat from invasive forest pests. The Maine Association of Conservation Districts Employees Committee and the Saco River Recreational Council received continued funding ($35,000 and $5,000, respectively) for their efforts to provide outreach and education to engage citizens in helping protect Maine forests.

"Early detection of invasive pests such as Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, winter moth and others are crucial in protecting the forest products and forest recreation industries in a state that is 90% forested," said DACF Commissioner Walt Whitcomb. "Once these insects have established a foothold in other states, they become difficult if not impossible to eradicate. By working in partnership with soil and water conservation districts in all 16 counties and community partners along the Saco River, we can better protect our forest resources and economies."

Early detection of invasive forest pets can be accomplished through outreach and education efforts. This not only reduces the costs and resources needed for a management response, but also increases the chances of eradication success.

The DACF has been conducting outreach and education since 2009 with funding provided by the Farm Bill Section 10007. The Maine Association of Conservation Districts Employees Committee, in partnership with 12 county conservation districts in Southern and Central Maine, and the Saco River Recreational Council were both awarded funding under a competitive Request for Proposal issued by the DACF in 2015. This year's awards continue the outreach provided by these organizations, expanding outreach to all 16 counties in Maine.

"The outreach and education that are being contributed by these two conservation organizations will enhance the Department's existing efforts resulting in increased public understanding of the economic and environmental threats associated with invasive forest pests," said Karen Coluzzi, DACF State Pest Survey Coordinator. "The awards increase support for management and mitigation efforts, and increase reporting of potential pest sightings to federal or state authorities. The threat of invasive forest species requires continued vigilance, education and awareness of the general public to safeguard this significant state resource."

For more information on invasive forest pest outreach and education in Maine, contact Karen Coluzzi at the DACF Division of Animal and Plant Health at Karen.L.Coluzzi@Maine.Gov or at (207) 287-7551.

To read more about the Department's efforts to address forest invasive pests, access the annual accomplishment reports at http://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/caps/ALB/AnnualReports.shtml .

For more information on the Department's Forest Pest Outreach and Survey Project, read a synopsis at http://www.umaine.edu/invasivespecies/2012/05/14/fpos/.

This material is made possible through a grant from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) and is funded in part by a Cooperative Agreement from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The USDA and the DACF are equal opportunity providers and employers.