FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2024
Mitigating the impacts of
invasive species in Texas
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Invasive
species cause many negative impacts to the Texas landscape, from the displacement
of native trees to potentially wiping out entire species. Because of their
widespread impact, Texas A&M Forest Service is taking great lengths to help
mitigate their impacts and taking time to highlight those efforts during National
Invasive Species Awareness Week.
Invasive species have two main
characteristics: they are non-native to an ecosystem and their introduction
causes or is likely to cause harm to the economy, environment or human health.
“Invasive species produce a
measurable impact,” said Demian Gomez, Texas A&M Forest Service Regional
Health Coordinator. “If left unchecked, invasives can threaten native species,
biodiversity, ecosystem services, water resources, agricultural and forest
production, economies and property values.”
Most often, invasive species have
been introduced into an ecosystem through human activity. This can include
anything from plants purposefully introduced as ornamentals to insects accidentally
transported in imported goods such as through wood packaging materials.
Invasive species succeed because
of their ability to grow in favorable environments and their lack of natural
predators, competitors and diseases that normally regulate their populations.
Texas A&M Forest Service is
mitigating the impacts of invasive species in Texas through several efforts.
Emerald ash borer
The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a
destructive, invasive borer beetle native to Asia. After being discovered in
Michigan in 2002, EAB was first detected in Texas in 2016 in Harrison County.
Since then, EAB has been positively confirmed in Bowie, Camp, Cass,
Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Marion, Morris, Parker, Rusk, Tarrant, Titus and Wise Counties.
EAB is responsible for killing
millions of ash trees across much of the country, and each year, Texas A&M
Forest Service places traps throughout the state to proactively monitor for the
spread of the pest.
“The agency began monitoring for the
pest in 2012 by strategically deploying detection traps each spring,” said
Gomez. “We continue to set traps and monitor because early detection of the
beetle is the best way to limit the spread and avoid high ash mortality.”
Texas A&M Forest Service works
with communities to develop, communicate and implement local EAB preparedness
plans. And while the agency assists with planning, trapping and monitoring, the
Texas Department of Agriculture is ultimately responsible for EAB management
and coordination in Texas.
Oak wilt
Oak wilt
is one of the deadliest tree diseases in the United States. Since its first
detection in Texas in 1961, it has killed millions of trees across 76 counties.
Oak wilt is caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum, thought to have
originated in Central America. The fungus invades and disables the water-conducting system in
oaks.
Any new
wound on oaks can be an entry point for infection. Very active in late and
early spring, small native sap beetles transfer spores of the oak wilt fungus,
infecting new trees. Additionally, the pathogen can
spread through interconnected roots, particularly impacting live oaks in Central
Texas.
“Texas A&M Forest Service works
with public and private partners to minimize the spread of the fungus across
the state through the Oak Wilt Suppression Project,” said Gomez. “We help by providing
public education and awareness, identifying and mapping mortality centers and
providing treatment recommendations and cost-shares.”
Brazilian peppertree
The Brazilian peppertree was
first introduced to Texas in the 1950s and has since invaded thousands of acres
in coastal habitats, shading and killing native vegetation and even causing
allergic reactions in some people.
Since 2014, Texas A&M Forest
Service has worked with the Texas Gulf Region Cooperative Weed Management Area
in Port Aransas to address Brazilian peppertree in the region through eradication
and education.
Since 2023, the agency has also been
collaborating on a project to reduce the impacts of the invasive Brazilian peppertree
in the Texas Gulf Coast with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development
Center, the University
of Texas Marine Science Institute and the City of Port Aransas, studying biological control options.
As part of this study, a small
thrips insect, known as the Brazilian peppertree thrip, was released on plots
to study their control of the invasive plant. The study aims to integrate the
insect, referred to as a biocontrol, with ongoing mechanical and herbicide
management of the Brazilian peppertree.
Researchers will release new
insects and monitor the trees over two years to evaluate the impacts. The U.S.
Forest Service provided funding for the project.
Laurel wilt and the red bay
ambrosia beetle
The redbay ambrosia beetle,
responsible for spreading laurel wilt, has killed more than half a billion
trees in the Lauraceae family, with high impacts to redbays, sassafras and the avocado
industry in the southeastern U.S.
“This vascular fungal pathogen, transported
and cultivated by the beetle to be used as a food source for larvae, can kill
trees in less than a month,” said Gomez. “It was first reported in Texas in
2015 and since then, has spread across eastern Texas.”
Texas A&M Forest Service is
working with public and private partners to study the spread and distribution
of the disease/insect complex.
Early detection and rapid response
Early detection, rapid assessment
and rapid response (EDRR) provides the greatest opportunity for eradication and
cost-effective management of invasive species. The EDRR program, a network of
traps targeting exotic bark and ambrosia beetles, increases the likelihood that invasive species will
be found, contained and eradicated before they become widely established.
In
collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, Texas A&M Forest Service deploys 48 traps annually for the
program. These traps are located near areas where potentially invasive
and problematic bark and ambrosia beetle species may become established or
begin satellite infestations such as wood processing mills, ports and
commercial distribution centers.
It is important to monitor your
property for invasive species and take steps to control them when possible. To
learn more about invasive species, visit https://tfs.tamu.edu/InvasiveSpecies/.
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Texas A&M Forest Service Contacts
Demian Gomez, Regional
Forest Health Coordinator, 512-339-4589, demian.gomez@tfs.tamu.edu
Allen Smith, Regional
Forest Health Coordinator, 903-297-5094, lasmith@tfs.tamu.edu
Communications Office, 979-458-6606, newsmedia@tfs.tamu.edu