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For example, the Emerald Ash Borer is a pest in the United States causing tree loss that travelers across the Midwest are aware of when they stop at road side rests, campgrounds and visitors centers and pick up warning brochures. The warning? DON'T MOVE FIRE WOOD!
In 2003 a new pest that attacked oak trees in the Cleveland National Forest in San Diego County, caused 80% loss of coast live oaks in one district. The Goldspotted Oak Borer was imported from Arizona or Mexico on a load of firewood. Then it was found in a beach campground 30 miles to the west, carried on firewood, as it could not have moved that fast or that far on its own without having infected oak trees in the area in-between the two regions.
Many researchers were aghast at the rapid spread via campground firewood! The realization that firewood is one of the largest unregulated areas of commerce gave little hope that the pest could be easily controlled. Many pests come into the United States through Southern California, which has one of the largest most active harbors in the world.
The reader may remember the problem faced by oak woodlands in Northern California when Sudden Oak Death Syndrome was discovered, now spread from the Oregon border to Monterey County. This fungus has not been a problem in our southern oak woodlands as our dry climate does not promote the conditions it thrives on. Taking care of oak trees in their natural setting may continue to help us avoid this fungal attack. Our current drought conditions in Sierra Madre will be beneficial to some tree species that are often weakened and stressed when they get too much water in the wrong season of the year. Yet, the drought, the past three years are the driest on record, is having affect on some tree species, stressing them and creating an environment for other pest attacks.
Another destructive pest in our area is spreading rapidly. So far the researchers can only state again and again: DON'T MOVE FIRE WOOD! The name of this pest is the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer, as it attacks upwards to 20 different tree species. The pest and associated fungus has been found in several southland communities.
This pest is the size of a sesame seed! It is a serious threat to riparian woodland habitats of sycamore, oak, willow, alder, bay, maple and box elder and some agricultural trees such as plum, peach, olive and avocados. The sycamore seems especially vulnerable. It has appeared in Southern California in avocado trees and since this pest will result in great economic loss to this important agricultural crop, the California Avocado Growers Association is funding research, as is the US Forest Service.
Imagine no avocado trees—a world without guacamole! Also, imagine Sierra Madre without our Wistaria Vine! These are two plants that are being attacked by the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer as well as the others mentioned above.
How can you help?
1. DO NOT MOVE WOOD when you have trees trimmed on your property. Leave the logs and trimmings, or as chips, in piles to use later, on your property. Cover the piles with clear plastic to solarize the wood for two months. Solarizing heats up and kills the pest and the fungus, Fusarium sp. that the female borer leaves in the bored holes for the hatched eggs to eat. Mature borers exit the boreholes and fly on to infect the next tree. After solarizing, you can spread the chips to help improve the soil and retain soil moisture.
2. DO NOT BUY FIRE WOOD from elsewhere and bring it into Sierra Madre! When you go camping, buy fire wood at the campground and burn it there and leave behind what you do not burn, but it is best to burn it all so someone else coming to your campsite later will not be tempted to move it to another location.
3. Share this information with your neighbors and friends.
Additional information on the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer: http://ucanr.edu/sites/socaloakpests/Polyphagous_Shot_Hole_Borer/ (link)
Also:
Gold Spotted Oak Borer: http://ucanr.edu/sites/gsobinfo/ (link)
Sudden Oak Death: www.suddenoakdeath.org (link)
The California Oak Society (for proper care of oaks): wwwcaliforniaoaks.org (link)
Don't Move Firewood: http://www.dontmovefirewood.org/ (link)
As of the date of this date symptoms of Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB) have been observed in Sierra Madre but we do not know how widespread it is. It has been found in neighboring cities, in Altadena, Monrovia, San Dimas, Glendora, La Canada, Pasadena, Whittier, Orange and Westwood (UCLA). It has been found in the Huntington Library Botanical Garden and at the LA County Arboretum.
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