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.
USFS IPT is continuing its partnership with Pennsylvania State University to research the spread of Beech Leaf Disease, adding $81,547 for a total of $250,467 to date. Working with Canadian partners, Penn State researchers are studying how birds, insects, and weather patterns drive transmission. IPT is also extending its collaboration with USDA AgriculturalResearch Service (ARS), awarding an additional $57,500 to advance research on the disease’s origin and behavior in native and invaded ecosystems—bringing IPT’s three-year ARS investment to $184,666. Findings from both partnerships are critical for developing management strategies to slow this emerging threat, which is causing severe mortality in American beech trees. In Ohio alone, losses are estimated at $225 million.
The USFS IPT is continuing its collaboration with the University of Maine’s Ash Protection Collaboration Across Waponahkik Initiative (APCAW) to safeguard brown ash. IPT has added $131,987 to its joint venture, bringing total project funding to $261,467 to date.
This initiative works closely with tribal communities and other landowners in Maine and New Brunswick to monitor and manage the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) as it spreads. Ash is a highly valuable tree species, and Maine’s diverse forestland ownership makes collaboration with all stakeholders critical to effectively respond to this destructive pest.
Invasive weeds cost the United States an estimated $120 billion each year in economic losses and environmental damage. In the southern U.S., they reduce timber productivity by outcompeting young pines and increasing wildfire risk. The USFS IPT–Arkansas State University partnership strengthens prevention by analyzing global weed pathways to reduce costly outbreaks and protect southern ecosystems.
USFS IPT has added $149,723 to its cooperative agreement with Arkansas State University, bringing total funding to $449,066. The project focuses on preventing new non-native weed introductions into the southern United States by studying global source populations and transport pathways along the Panama Canal, a major conduit for invasive plants.
One emerging threat is wild sugarcane, a destructive weed capable of hitchhiking in cargo bound for southern U.S. ports. By analyzing plant communities along the Canal, researchers are identifying high-risk species and developing recommendations to prevent their accidental import.