Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund 2012-2013 Request for - PDF document

Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund 2012-2013 Request for Proposals (RFP) 050-C2 ENRTF ID: Project Title: Improving Emerald Ash Borer Detection Efficacy for Control C2. Invasive Species ‐ Terrestrial Topic Area: Total Project Budget: $ 794,500 Proposed Project Time Period for the Funding Requested: 3 yrs, July 2013 - June 2016 Other Non-State Funds: $ 0 Summary: We will implement detection work for emerald ash borer using different techniques and measure the effectiveness of each. This work will facilitate control efforts both now and in the future. Name: Mark Abrahamson Sponsoring Organization: Dept. of Agriculture Address: 625 Robert St N St. Paul MN 55155 Telephone Number: (651) 201-6505 Email mark.abrahamson@state.mn.us Web Address www.mda.state.mn.us/eab Location Region: Statewide, Metro, SE County Name: Statewide, Hennepin, Houston, Ramsey, Winona City / Township: _____ Funding Priorities _____ Multiple Benefits _____ Outcomes _____ Knowledge Base _____ Extent of Impact _____ Innovation _____ Scientific/Tech Basis _____ Urgency _____ Capacity Readiness _____ Leverage _____ Employment _______ TOTAL ______% 05/06/2012 Page 1 of 6

Environ nment and d Natural Resource es Trust Fu und (ENRT TF) 2012 ‐ 20 013 Main Proposal PROJECT TITLE: Improv ving Emerald Ash Borer De etection Effic acy for Contr rol I. PROJEC T STATEMEN NT  Emera ald ash borer r (EAB) was fir rst discovered d in Minnesot ta in 2009 (St t Paul) o N ow known to o occur in fou r Minnesota Counties (Ram msey, Henne pin, Houston and Winona ) as of f April, 2012 o M Minnesota has s more ash th han any other r area of the U U.S., ash is an n important co omponent of f our ru ural and urba n forests o M Much work ha s been done to stem the s spread of EAB B throughout Minnesota in ncluding ed ducation, qua arantine, dete ection survey ys and biologi cal control ef fforts o Th he likely cons sequence of t taking no acti on against EA AB is its rapid spread throu ugh most of t he st tate and the r resulting deat th of >99% of f the ash tree es in those are eas  Detec ction is a key obstacle to co ontrolling EA B o M Minnesota has s worked with h the United S States Depart tment of Agri iculture (USD DA) to conduc ct d etection surv veys for EAB s since 2003 usi ing a variety o of techniques s – most rece ently large, pu urple tr raps o N o EAB detect tion tools hav ve been calibr rated to provi ide an estima ate of what po opulation den nsity of f EAB they ar e able to dete ect o Th his is a critica al information n gap as EAB p population de ensity is cruci ial in determi ining how and d where to imple w ement contro ol measures.  This p project will ev valuate a rang ge of detectio on tools and m measure their r ability to de etect EAB at differ ent populatio on densities o W We will also ev valuate aspec cts of EAB bio ology that are critical in est timating disp ersal and co onsequently, spread o Th he project wi ll be impleme ented across a scale spann ning known EA AB infested a areas and are as w where EAB mig ght be expect ted to occur, but hasn’t be een found o W We plan to uti lize trained v olunteers as well as coope erators from local governm ments to im mplement thi s work.  Histor rically, the ma ajority of fun ding for state e ‐ level EAB w ork has been provided by USDA o A s of 2013, the e amount of f federal dollar rs available fo or EAB work in n Minnesota and the rest of th he U.S. will lik kely shrink su bstantially if not disappea ar o To o conduct me eaningful dete ection work w with limited f funds, a bette er understand ding is needed d on th he abilities an nd limitations of the detect tion tools ava ailable as wel l as the dispe ersal capabilit ties of EA AB o If an effective means can be e found to ut ilize voluntee ers for survey y it will provid de a significan nt co ost ‐ savings to o the state an nd local gover rnments in th e future II. DESCRI IPTION OF PR ROJECT ACTIV VITIES Activity 1 : Implement detection su rveys for EAB B to evaluate efficacy of di ifferent detec ction techniq ues under diff ferent abund ances of EAB Budge et: $492,000  Areas s where detec ction surveys are impleme nted will be r refined over t the course of f the project a as more knowledge o on EAB occurr rence and spr read are gaine ed.  Detec ction surveys will be condu ucted using tr rained volunt teers and coo operators from m local gover rnments as ap ppropriate. W Workshops wil ll be held prio or to the start t of detection n activities to train all pa rticipants. 1 05/06/2012 Page 2 of 6

 Detection activities will include techniques ranging from low labor input (visual evaluation) to moderate labor input (purple traps or EAB cadaver traps) to high labor input (removal and sampling of tree branches).  In addition to using visual evaluation as a detection tool, we will use visual criteria to evaluate tree health and relate that to EAB population density (i.e., at what EAB population density is tree health compromised?)  The different detection methods will be evaluated against EAB population density which will be measured by removal and sampling of selected trees by cooperators from local governments. Outcome Completion Date 1. Detection Survey Plan – i.e., map where detection surveys will occur August each year 2. Training workshops for volunteers to assist with detection surveys Aug, Jan, May each yr 3. Results from four detection techniques throughout survey areas June each year 4. Estimate of EAB population density in selected areas June each year 5. Analysis of detection technique efficacy vs. population density June 2015 6. Estimate of threshold EAB population density at which tree health is affected June 2015 Activity 2: Implement field and laboratory experiments to examine factors affecting dispersal distances and winter survival of EAB Budget: $302,500  We will evaluate the effect of population density on dispersal by measuring the fat content (fuel) of beetles across a spectrum of densities.  We will measure the effect of winter cold on dispersal by measuring the fat content of beetles held under different temperature regimes. It is possible that beetles held at lower temperatures will have lower lipid reserves and therefore shorter dispersal ability.  We will model the relationship between air temperature and the temperature within trees where EAB overwinter. This is a critical gap in our understanding of the impact of winter on EAB. Outcome Completion Date 1. Model for population density impact on EAB dispersal ability June 2015 2. Model for temperature impact on EAB dispersal ability June 2015 3. Model for air and tree temperature relationship June2015 III. PROJECT STRATEGY A. Project Team/Partners  Mark Abrahamson ‐ Minnesota Department of Agriculture o Responsible for coordinating activity 1  Brian Aukema ‐ University of Minnesota, Rob Venette – U.S. Forest Service o Jointly responsible for designing the structure and conducting analyses for activity 1 o Jointly responsible for Activity 2  Funds from the Trust Fund would support all work B. Timeline Requirements This will be a three year project. Conducting three years of work provides multiple opportunities to detect EAB in new areas as well as provides the experimental power needed to calibrate the efficacy of different detection techniques. C. Long ‐ Term Strategy and Future Funding Needs This project will produce results that future detection efforts for EAB can be built upon. 2 05/06/2012 Page 3 of 6