Developing a Model Invasive Pests Outreach Program for Arkansas

1. Jon E. Barry, Arkansas Forest Resources Center, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Hope, AR Tamara L. Walkingstick, Arkansas Forest Resources Center, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Little Rock, AR Abstract Prior to 2012, Arkansas had no coordinated invasive pest outreach program. A Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey committee for the state had been in place since 1982, however its primary function had been to coordinate pest surveys in Arkansas and share information collected from those surveys. In 2011, the Arkansas State Plant Board received a grant from APHIS to develop an outreach program for forest invasive pests to serve as a template for a larger invasive pest outreach program within the state. The State Plant Board entered into a memorandum of understanding with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Forest Resources Center to develop a web site and training program to teach natural resource professionals to recognize signs and symptoms of six forest invasive pests that are threatening Arkansas. The web site, ARInvasives.org, was initially developed to house information about six invasive pests that are perceived as a serious threat to Arkansas’ forests. The pages discuss general biology of the organism; origin, current range, and spread of the pest; pest identification; symptoms of pest damage; and tips for preventing spread of the pest. An on-line training module will be developed to support the web site. The module will provide directed, self-paced training leading to an ability to recognize pests and symptoms in the field. Professional continuing education credits will be offered as an incentive to gain participation from natural resource professionals. The web site also provides information describing how and to whom to report sightings. Fourteen reports have been received both through the web site and via email and telephone. Upon report of an invasive pest, a representative of the State Plant Board or APHIS contacts the reporter for further information. A site visit is scheduled if the report merits one. None of the reports have yet proven to be one of the target invasive pests. Public Response / Changes Response to the web site and the invasive pests program have been positive. It is clear that the program struck a nerve with the citizens of Arkansas. As word has spread about the program, we have received multiple requests from stakeholder groups for presentations and training about invasive pests. After hearing our presentations, landowners have told us that they have ornamental invasive pests and plan to destroy them and replace them with non-invasive plants. More than 20 people have reported sightings of pests they thought might be invasive pests identified by this invasive pests program. Lessons Several governmental and private organizations in Arkansas are trying to manage invasive pests, but they haven’t been talking to each other. Some of the federal and state agencies with the most vulnerable forests have taken no steps to protect those forests. Everyone is concerned about the invasive pest problem. Leadership on the invasive pest issue has been lacking in Arkansas. Finding workable actions that will prevent the spread of invasive pests is not easy. Much more education, especially directed toward the public, is needed. Developing a Model Invasive Pests Outreach Program for Arkansas The Problem Forests are important to Arkansas - approximately 56% of the state’s land area is forested. Forestland in Arkansas totals around 18.8 million acres comprised of a mix of government ownerships, industrial ownerships, and family forestlands. These forests are also characterized as upland forests and bottomland forests; and as pine forests, mixed pine-hardwood forests, and hardwood forests. All of these forests are vulnerable to non-native invasive species, i.e. invasive pests. Before 2012 Arkansas did not have a forest invasive pest program. APHIS conducted limited state-wide surveys for gypsy moth, but no state-focused forest invasive pest training was available. There was no coordinated effort to reach natural resource professionals with information about new invasive pests threatening Arkansas. The lack of training and information left Arkansas’ forests vulnerable to new invasive pests. Proposed Solution In 2011, Arkansas State Plant Board (SPB) received a grant from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to develop a pilot program to disseminate information about new invasive pests. Forests were chosen as the target ecosystem for this pilot project and six invasive pests of interest were selected. The six invasive pests chosen were Asian longhorned beetle, cogongrass, emerald ash borer, European gypsy moth, European Sirex woodwasp, and thousand-cankers disease. One of these pests, European gypsy moth, is occasionally found in Arkansas but did not appear to be established here. Cogongrass and emerald ash borer were expected to enter the state in the near future. The other three invasive pests were pests that had not yet arrived in Arkansas but were deemed high risks. Our initial vision for the project included a web site to provide information and training about invasive pest threats, periodic newsletters containing invasive pest updates emailed to volunteers, and a database for natural resource professionals to report invasive pest sightings. Our ultimate goal was to establish a network of trained volunteer field spotters who could watch for invasive pests as they conducted their daily activities. We chose natural resource professionals as our initial target audience because they already have the background training to use the information presented on the web site with minimal additional training. A network of volunteer field spotters who already work in the field can cover far more territory at a lower cost than APHIS or State Plant Board employees who might try to cover the same territory looking for invasive pests. Developed Solution The first stage of the project involved developing a web site to house and provide access to information about the six invasive pests upon which this project focused. The domain name is arinvasives.org. In addition to the initial six species, we are developing information focused on invasive pests that are already in the state as well as new threats as they appear on the horizon. We are currently developing on-line invasive pest training modules housed within the Cooperative Extension Service’s LEARN system. These modules will teach students to identify each of the six target invasive pests and identify signs and symptoms of infestation. Continuing forestry education credits will be available for completion of the course. The web site includes forms and contacts for reporting sightings of invasive pests. The database was deemed incompatible with constraints imposed by the current web site host and web site developers. The web site and the invasive pests program have been “advertised” through PowerPoint presentations given to stakeholder groups around Arkansas. These groups range from natural resource professionals to master gardeners to college students. Most of the presentations have been at stakeholder group meetings. We have also used radio and TV interviews to advertise the program and talked to college classes about it. Posters have been developed also been developed to advertise the program. The posters are displayed at any event when room is available. The program has also been publicized through advertisements in game and fish regulation handbooks. In addition the web resources, we have also have been providing face-to-face training to stakeholder groups. This has included seven presentations to natural resource professionals, four presentations to landowners and gardeners, and a presentation to a college class. An article written by CES Communications staff appeared in more than a dozen newspapers and resulted in radio and TV interviews on the topic.