We support global collaborations to improve management of forest invasive pests and to prevent or minimize new infestations in the United States. Under the International Forestry Cooperation Act of 1990, the Forest Service is authorized to collaborate internationally on critical natural resource challenges—including the prevention and management of invasive species that threaten ecosystems and economies.
Invasive species pose a significant threat to the health of U.S. forests and grasslands, causing widespread ecological damage and inflicting massive economic costs. The forest products industry alone loses an estimated $4.2 billion annually due to invasive pests. Tackling these threats requires international collaboration for the exchange of research and technical expertise, to develop control measures, and to anticipate future risks to U.S. forests. The Forest Service Office of International Programs and Trade is working internationally to study invasive species in the U.S. as well as where they originate.
We help address the most significant forest pest challenges facing the United States.
Addressing invasive pests requires international efforts to:
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Since its discovery in Ohio in 2012, Beech leaf disease (BLD) has spread into sixteen additional U.S. states and Ontario, Canada. This previously unknown tree disease is causing high mortality in the economically and ecologically significant American beech; the total economic loss of beech in the eastern U.S. could be over a billion dollars. IPT is supporting two international research projects to answer critical unknowns about BLD: where did it originate and how does it spread? This information will lead to forest management strategies and treatments to mitigate the spread of the disease.
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IPT is funding USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Invasive Plant Research Lab in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to conduct overseas surveys and testing of biocontrol agents for cogongrass, one of the ten worst weeds in the world and the most problematic invasive weed in the southeastern U.S. Biocontrols can help control the spread of cogongrass and reduce the need for chemical treatments. So far, ARS has found more than 60 species associated with cogongrass in Australia, Japan, South Korea, and South Africa. The team has selected 18 promising agents and has begun the time-intensive process of rearing these candidates in quarantine facilities to evaluate their safety and effectiveness as biocontrol agents.
Cheatgrass is an aggressive invader of forests and grasslands, impacting an estimated 60 million acres in the western U.S. with negative impacts on agricultural productivity, wildlife, and fire regimes. In partnership with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, IPT is supporting foreign exploration for biocontrol agents in the native European range. The team has identified and is testing five promising agents in the ARS quarantine lab in California.
The invasive Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) is devastating the Pacific, creating major threats to livelihoods in communities and economies dependent on palms for food, water, building materials, and cultural practices. CRB continues to spread and is now present on four Hawaiian islands where it could significantly impact the ecosystem and tourist economy. There is a critical need to promote knowledge exchange across the Pacific to share successful approaches to CRB prevention, management, and control, and to uncover gaps in knowledge that could be filled by future research.