INVASIVE SPECIES ALERT

Be on the lookout for these invasive species! 

BLUE GREEN ALGAE

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HAND PULLING WATER CHESTNUTS

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Water Chestnuts are a non-native invasive species which originated from Europe, Asia and Africa. Released into the Northeast United States in the mid to late 1800s; water chestnuts are thought to have been introduced to Massachusetts first. By the 1950s the plant had made its way into the Great Lakes Basin.

Water Chestnuts (T. natans) are a non-native invasive species which originated from Europe, Asia and Africa. Released into the Northeast United States in the mid to late 1800s; water chestnuts are thought to have first been introduced in Massachusetts. By the 1950s the plant had made its way into the Great Lakes Basin.
 
The Water Chestnut grows in slow moving water bodies and in water depths up to 16’. The plants are annuals that can release upwards of 15-20 seeds per year and quickly multiply into a large infestation. Floating seeds will not germinate, but green to greenish brown seeds will sink to the sediment and germinate. The seeds can remain viable for up to 12 years in the sediment which results in the need for repeated annual harvest for 5-12 years to control and eradicate the population. As for biological control, parasites control the population in Europe, Asia, and Africa but a leaf beetle (Galerucella birmanica) had been studied for control in the US by Cornell from 2002-2005.

​Water chestnuts can cause many problems for boaters, swimmers, and the ecosystem. The dense, thick mats of vegetation create a hazard for boats driving through. The spiny, sharp seeds can wash up on beaches where people may step on them. The mats of vegetation decrease light below water surface for other plants, thus choking out native aquatic plant species and causing a reduction in waterfowl food. At the end of the growing year, the dying water chestnuts fall to the bottom of the water body and decay. This decaying causes decreased oxygen levels for fish.
Meet this year’s crew: (L_R) Rob Rioux, crew leader; Megan Vandewarker; Maddie Rioux; and  Liz Kelsey-Gossard; 

HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID
PictureWhite clusters of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid cover this hemlock tree.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) has been in NYS since 1985. Its origin in the eastern US are likely from Japan. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid attacks eastern hemlock in NYS. The Adelgid uses long mouth parts to extract sap and nutrients from hemlock foliage. This prevents continued growth causing needles to discolor (from deep green to grayish green), then to drop prematurely. The loss of new shoots and needles causes decline and death of affected trees within 4 to 10 years.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is unusual in that all individuals are female with asexual reproduction. The Adelgid completes two generations a year. The winter generation produces up to 300 eggs and the spring generation produces up to 75 eggs. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid enters a period of dormancy during hot summer months. The biggest concern for the Skaneateles Lake Watershed is that hemlock provides protection of streambeds/banks from erosion. Hemlocks are also highly valued for lumber and ornamentals such as Christmas trees. And, they provide food and shelter for wildlife, especially deer. The good news is that HWA is still “A Pest We CAN Manage!” To learn more, please go to the insect section and find Hemlock Woolly Adelgid at www.nyis.info.  

EMERALD ASH BORER
What's Happening

PictureOne of many ash trees marked for cutting.
From June 2017 to May 2018 here's a summary of the progress made with the Emerald Ash Tree program.  The District is contracted to work on County rights-of-way and County Park lands.

2018 Tree Injections:       207
2018 Tree Removal:       7,027
2018 Stump Grinding:     590
2018 Trees Planted:         736     

We continue to put up the purple prisms that help Onondaga County and various stakeholders detect the presence of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in specific locations, but the numbers above clearly illustrate just how many ash trees succumb to the infestation and must be cut down. 

This serves as a good reminder to everyone who has ash trees on their property that now is the time to make decisions and take action on managing your ash trees.  At this point there are still many options available whether you would like to protect your trees with an insecticide, or whether you would prefer to have your trees removed.  Once trees become infested, your options may become limited to removal, and since infested trees are considered extremely hazardous, this will be much more costly.  Please consult a certified arborist or a certified pesticide applicator to explore your options.

Once trees have fully leafed out, this is the season for protecting ash trees with insecticides.  The District continues the practice of treating ash trees in County Parks by injection of insecticides.  This project is funded in part by the FL-PRISM.

Over 1,700 ash trees have been removed from Oneida Shores County Park in the winter and spring of 2017 but that was only in one half of the park where the boat launch, beach, and picnic/playground areas are located.  The other half of the park, where Arrowhead Lodge and the McKinley shelters are located, was also addressed.  The District  recognized that a portion of these trees were of saw-log quality and held its first timber sale.
The park is located in a part of the County that is characterized by relatively flat, low-lying areas and many swamps and wetlands – all of which are favored by ash.  Across the County, ash trees make up about 11% of the canopy, but in the northern part of the County and at Oneida Shores Park, some areas are likely closer to 70-80%.  Working towards the County’s goal of removing 95% of ash trees that could impact a target such as park infrastructure or park visitors has unsurprisingly yielded dramatic results with what can be described as selective clear cutting.  The sheer volume of trees needed to be removed, coupled with a mild and wet winter in 2017 made the disturbance to the park much more visible.  It is worth noting that even though these trees were still alive, Emerald Ash Borer was found and when the trees were removed did show signs of infestation. Removing these trees now, as opposed to after they have died because of the beetle, is much safer for contractors, park users, and park employees and is also less expensive

While removing ash trees is the largest component of this project, the District also works to preserve and replace a number of the trees with non-ash tree species.  Over 50 trees were treated with pesticides at Oneida Shores Park and will continue to be preserved until EAB is no longer a threat to the environment.  Trees selected for preservation typically meet the criteria of being of high function and value, such as shade trees for picnic areas.

EMERALD ASH BORER ON YOUR FARM

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The Emerald Ash Borer was confirmed in Onondaga County on July 22, 2013. This is not surprising, as the insect has been detected in 13 counties in New York State, 19 states in the United States, and two additional provinces in Canada.
This non-native boring insect from Asia attacks all ash trees. In May the insect emerges from the bark of ash trees through “D”-shaped exit holes that they created by eating their way out of the tree. In June the adult ash borers feed on leaves of the ash trees. In July the Borers mate; a single female can lay 90 to 200 eggs in the cracks of ash tree bark, which will hatch in approximately three weeks. The larvae then eat their way into the cambium layer of the tree (just under the bark) where they spend one to two years consuming the nutrients that are being translocated between the inner bark and the woody stem of the tree. Upon emergence of the beetle, the entire life cycle of borers starts over. 
The constant eating on the ash trees will weaken and kill the trees within three to five years. Contacts in mid-western States such as Michigan tell us that a wind speed of 30 mph, which is a very common occurrence here in central NY, will cause these ash trees to break apart and rain down dangerously sized pieces of tree that can hit targets. These targets can be: farm employees in the field or lawn, farm machinery, and barns and outbuildings. It is also possible for pieces of ash trees to have fallen and be hidden in the crops that are being harvested, potentially damaging machinery.  Currently, there are only two methods of treatment for ash trees include 1) cutting to completely remove the threat of hazard or 2) inoculation of the ash trees with pesticides.
 Please take a look at the trees in your hedgerows, around your farmstead, and your access roads. If you have a question about the species of trees growing on your property, or would like more information about EAB, please contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District, USDA NRCS, and/or Cornell Cooperative Extension office.