**AVOIDING HARM FROM INVASIVE SPECIES**

**USDA Second Avoiding arm Report for FY 2004 to the Invasive Species
Advisory Council and the National Invasive Species Council**

February 18, 2005

This is the second "USDA Avoiding Harm Report for FY 2004" to the
Invasive Species Advisory Council and the National Invasive Species
Council. The first report, dated October 2004, covered the activities of
the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Agricultural Research Service
(ARS), the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
(CSREES) and the Economic Research Service (ERS). This second report
covers the activities for the USDA Forest Service (USFS) for FY 2004.

The report is divided by agency activities. The USFS will report on:

> a\) Invasive species program activities the agency is carrying out to
> do no harm;
>
> b\) The way in which, when the agency carries out other programs
> activities, they are also designed and implemented to do no harm;
>
> c\) Activities that are doing harm, and future actions the agency will
> take to change the activities so that they do no harm.

Within the above categories, the USFS will include its own agency
activities, as well as activities where the agency is coordinating
and/or collaborating with another federal agency, per the mandate of the
Invasive Species Executive Order (EO 13112).

The USFS is both a research agency and a management agency. Thus, this
report covers activities under both topics.

> I. USDA Research Agencies

## II. USDA Regulatory and Resource Management Agencies

The USFS has four natural resources program areas: national forest
system, state and private forestry, research and development, and
international forestry. All of them are engaged in some of their
activities on invasive species issues.

**C. [US Forest Service (USFS)]{.underline}**

# 1. Activities to do no harm

a.  [USFS Strategic Plan]{.underline}: Established a focused agency-wide
    Goal in the Forest Service Strategic Plan for invasive species
    management. It is one of five agency goals.

b.  [USFS National Strategy for Invasive Species
    Management:]{.underline} Developed and published the National
    Strategy and Implementation Plan for Invasive Species Management in
    2004 which defines the USFS Invasive Species Program and guides the
    agency to achieve its invasive species management goal in the Forest
    Service Strategic Plan. This effort has been highlighted as a major
    success by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

c.  [Invasive Plants Management:]{.underline} Aggressively controlled
    invasive plants, including noxious weeds, across the national
    forests in all regions of the country.

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d.  [Activities on Invasive Vertebrates, Invertebrates, Plants and
    Pathogens in National Forests and Grasslands]{.underline}: Building
    a broader and more effective invasive species program for the
    National Forest System that is guided by the *National Strategy and
    Implementation Plan* and integrates key activities/programs that
    will address invasive vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and
    pathogens. For example, expanded invasive species prevention and
    control activities throughout national forest programs for
    management of fish and wildlife, recreation, heritage, and
    wilderness areas.

e.  [Regional Invasive Species Teams]{.underline}: Established new
    Regional Invasive Species Teams (workgroups or steering committees)
    in each USFS region to address cross-programmatic efforts on
    invasive species.

f.  [Environmental Threat Assessment Centers]{.underline}: The USFS is
    creating two Environmental Threat Assessment Centers. They will
    generate and integrate knowledge and information to provide credible
    prediction, early detection, and quantitative assessment of
    environmental threats to western and eastern forests. One Center is
    located in Prineville, Oregon and the other is in Asheville, North
    Carolina. Three programs fund the Centers: State and Private
    Forestry, National Forest System, and Research and Development.

g.  [Sudden Oak Death]{.underline}: Expanded the survey program for
    Sudden Oak Death into 37 states, including Oregon and California
    where the disease is established.

h.  [Early Detection Activities]{.underline}: Expanded the invasive
    insects Early Detection Program into 20 cities/ports across the
    nation to monitor potential import of threatening insects unwanted
    in the U.S. The ports of entry are on the East and West Coasts and
    in the interior U.S. Early Detection and Rapid Response funding was
    provided to all USFS Regions and the Northeastern Area to eradicate
    new infestations of invasive plants.

i.  [Invasive Species Prevention]{.underline}: Efforts of the Forest
    Health Protection program were expanded to provide funds for
    silvicultural treatments to reduce the threat of invasive insect and
    disease occurrences. USFS is compiling a new Risk Map for forest
    insects and diseases on all forested lands in the U.S. It will be
    completed in FY 2005. Developed and published warning and prevention
    practices information related to aquatic and terrestrial invasive
    species on national forests.

j.  [International Efforts]{.underline}: Within the North American
    Forestry Commission the USFS is working closely with Mexico, Canada
    and the United States to address invasive insects, diseases and
    plants, including the prevention of new introductions across mutual
    borders.

k.  [Invasive Species Control and Management]{.underline}: Responded to
    nationwide threats to forest ecosystems from non-native invasive
    species, such as gypsy moth, sudden oak death, and emerald ash
    borer. Protected critical ecosystems from established infestations
    of non-native insects and diseases, such as Port-Orford cedar root
    disease, white pine blister rust, and hemlock woolly adelgid. USFS
    completed aerial surveys on federal, cooperative, and tribal lands
    to detect new or expanding damage by forest pests.

l.  [Gypsy Moth Control Program]{.underline}: Continued the
    "slow-the-spread strategy" across the advancing front of the gypsy
    moth that extends from North Carolina to Wisconsin. USFS meet all
    anticipated gypsy moth eradication, priority prevention and
    suppression needs for FY 2004.

m.  [Invasives Management in Wilderness Areas]{.underline}: Included
    invasive species management objectives as part of the Wilderness
    Stewardship standards requirements for wilderness within national
    forests.

n.  [Minimizing the Spread of Invasives by Off Highway
    Vehicles]{.underline}: Unmanaged motorized recreation on national
    forests and grasslands increases the potential for infestation of
    invasive species. Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) use creates disturbed
    ground and vehicles transport seeds that cling to their tires and
    frames. On July 2004 USFS published a proposed rule in the Federal
    Register to restrict use of motor vehicles on national forest lands
    to roads, trails, and areas as shown on a "Use Map". Public comment
    was received and reviewed. The final rule will be published by
    spring of 2005. It may take up to four years for each individual
    national forest to go through the public process to designate routes
    and areas. Maps cannot be published without having the designations.
    When a forest publishes a map, it will minimize the threat of OHVs
    spreading invasive species to remote areas. The threat will still
    remain along designated roads and trails, but these are locations
    where the opportunity for early identification and rapid response
    towards invasives is much greater than it is on other forested
    lands.

o.  [Invasives within the Policy on the Use of Native Plant
    Materials]{.underline}: USFS was developing a chapter in the Forest
    Service Manual that contains the Policy on the Use of Native Plant
    Materials for Management Activities, including restoration and
    rehabilitation. The policy reflects the increased emphasis on
    invasive species prevention and control in national forests and
    grasslands.

p.  [Invasive Species Management Policy for National Forests and
    Grasslands]{.underline}: For FY 2005, USFS plans to develop a Forest
    Service Manual Chapter and accompanying Forest Service Handbook on
    invasive species management policy. This effort is identified in the
    *National Strategy* as a priority action.

q.  [Avoiding Invasives During Habitat Restoration
    Activities]{.underline}: Incorporated specific national guidance
    related to prevention of invasive species during the Burned Area
    Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) work.

r.  [Avoiding Invasives During Fire Fighting Activities]{.underline}:
    Issued cautionary information notices related to the accidental
    spread of aquatic invasive species during fire fighting activities
    that transfer water (with potential invasives) from one area to
    another.

s.  [Analysis Tool to Map the Ranges of Beetles]{.underline}: North
    Central Research Station scientists, in collaboration with Animal
    and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), completed an analysis
    of the 1985-2000 interception port records for bark beetles and
    ambrosia beetles and mapped the interception records. For the first
    time APHIS managers, state agencies and port inspectors have a
    visual interactive tool to spot beetle trends rapidly and identify
    new ports of entry.

t.  [New Scientific Tools to Deal With Invasive Beetles]{.underline}:
    USFS scientists, in partnership with international, federal and
    state partners, collaborated on emergency research to develop and
    improve strategies to manage invasive beetles. The best science
    information was developed to detect and control or to "slow the
    spread" of emerald ash borers. This increased the effectiveness of
    state and international control efforts and limited the
    human-assisted spread of the borer. Improved detection tools for the
    banded elm bark beetle, a recently detected exotic bark beetle in
    the western and central U.S., were used to improve detection
    strategies.

u.  [Potential Biological Control Agents for Hemlock Wooly
    Adelgid]{.underline}: The hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA) threatens to
    destroy hemlock ecosystems in the East. No effective control
    measures have been developed to date. The use of biological control
    agents is the most promising approach to control HWA. A significant
    advance was made when USFS and external scientists released the
    Chinese lady beetle, *Scymnus sinuanodulus,* in Pennsylvania and
    Southern Appalachia. Scientists are also evaluating the
    effectiveness of two other species of predator beetles to control
    HWA.

v.  [Southern Pine Beetle Research Results]{.underline}: USFS has a
    comprehensive, multi-partner invasive species research and
    development program to combat southern pine beetle. The program has
    resulted in new understanding of bark beetle-fungal interactions
    recently published in *Science*. These findings improved the ability
    of managers to accurately assess the risk of southern pine beetle
    leading to better on-the-ground management decisions**.**

w.  [National Strategic Plan for Sudden Oak Death]{.underline}: USFS
    scientists and partners developed a National Strategic Plan for
    addressing Sudden Oak Death (SOD) and other plant diseases caused by
    *Phytophthora ramorum,* as requested in the FY 2003 appropriation
    for USFS Research. The plan has a national focus and demonstrates
    how the USFS will coordinate with other USDA agencies and other
    Federal, State, Native American and local entities to address the
    threat posed by SOD.

x.  [Sudden Oak Death Research]{.underline}: A competitive,
    collaborative program continues to plan, manage, and coordinate
    research through a cadre of national and international experts. It
    provides science support for the expanding and evolving management
    and regulatory SOD programs. In 2004, this research program focused
    on addressing the many unknowns of the emerging SOD issue, without
    geographic bounds, to consider: (1) pathogen biology, hosts, and
    epidemiology; (2) disease management and resource utilization; (3)
    disease impacts on ecosystem components; and (4) economic and social
    impacts.

y.  [Trees Resistant to Invasives]{.underline}: Released Dutch elm
    disease resistant elm sources for the production of trees. USFS
    researchers are also developing white pine blister rust resistant
    pines.

z.  [Interagency Research Forum on Invasives]{.underline}: Over 250
    scientists from the U.S., Canada, and eight countries in Europe and
    Asia attended the 2004 Interagency Research Forum on Gypsy Moth and
    Other Invasive Species in Annapolis, Maryland. USFS Deputy Chief for
    Research Ann Bartuska gave the initial address at this premier
    research forum. There were sessions on invasive plants, Hemlock
    Wooly Adelgid, Emerald Ash Borer, and Asian Longhorned Beetle.
    Invited presentations were provided on other current and potential
    invasive species problems, such as Sudden Oak Death and related
    Phytophthora diseases of forest tree species, Exotic Bark Beetles,
    Asian Gypsy Moth, and Japanese Oak Wilt.

a.  [Weed Risk Assessment Protocol for Hawaii and Pacific
    Islands]{.underline}: USFS researchers evaluated and adapted the
    Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment protocol for use in
    Hawaii and other Pacific islands to predict which species are most
    likely to cause ecological and economic damage**.** This tool
    provides a reliable, documented, scientifically based method of
    assessing potential impacts of exotic species on natural and
    agricultural ecosystems. It provides agencies and managers a basis
    for setting priorities for invasives control and prevention. The
    tool is being used by the State of Hawaii to develop outreach
    programs to the horticultural industry to reduce the sale of
    potentially invasive species.

b.  [Treesearch Database Includes Invasives]{.underline}: The
    publication "*Treesearch*", an on-line database, contains the latest
    research on various tree species in the country, stream restoration,
    invasive species, forest inventory and analysis data, and other
    scientific information. The web site
    ([www.treesearch.fs.fed.us](http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/))
    provides a single place to search for all research, offering
    full-text versions of publications anytime and anywhere.

c.  [Role of Invasive Trees in Tropical Forests]{.underline}: Analysis
    of Forest Inventory and Analysis data shows that alien tree species
    such as African tulip tree account for over 25 percent of the
    important tree species in the tropical forests of Puerto Rico. These
    species are part of a new forest type, composed of exotic and native
    species, and function similar to native forests. This research
    suggests that the role of exotic and invasive species requires study
    before implementing costly eradication programs.

d.  [Biological Control of Cheatgrass and Habitat
    Restoration]{.underline}: USFS scientists enabled strategies to
    restore thousands of acres of wild lands in the western U.S.
    impacted by invasive cheatgrass. They developed and provided
    technology to restore native plants and identified potential
    biological control agents for cheatgrass. Scientists are
    investigating the potential biological control of cheatgrass by a
    naturally occurring headsmut fungus (*Utilago bullata*) that has
    minimal potential to harm perennial grasses.

e.  [Post Fire Habitat Restoration with Native Species]{.underline}: In
    the Pacific Northwest, the timing of prescribed burns, planting
    techniques and genetic characteristics of native stocks impacts the
    establishment of exotic and native plants. Tests of seed collection
    and reintroduction techniques have revealed ways for seeding with
    native grasses and planting plugs of long-lived perennial forbs that
    succeed in restoring native species after fire**.**

f.  [Invasives in Southern Forests]{.underline}: By popular demand the
    publication "Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: a field
    guide for identification and control" was revised and reprinted.
    During 2004, fifty thousand copies were requested and distributed to
    most preserve, forest, and park managers, and their staffs. The book
    continues to be used by surveyors to supplement the only invasive
    plant survey in the Nation**.**

# 2. Other Agency Activities, also designed to do no harm

The statements below describe the way in which, when the USFS carries
out other agency activities, they are designed to do no harm.

a.  [Manual Direction and Policy Guide Invasives Work]{.underline}: When
    USFS staff takes action against invasive plants on national forests
    and grasslands, they adhere to USFS manual direction and other pol

b.  [Invasives Inventory and Treatment Data]{.underline}: The USFS
    improved Invasive Species Program data management capabilities
    across the National Forest System. It used new technology for
    information collection and reporting related to invasives inventory
    and treatment data.

c.  [Performance and Accountability System for Invasives
    Program]{.underline}: Improved USFS performance and accountability
    system design for the invasive species program activities and
    adhered to protocols and direction from the Office of Management and
    Budget and the USFS Strategic Plan.

d.  [Coordination on Aquatic Species Management]{.underline}: Expanded
    invasive aquatic species coordination between National Forest System
    staff, external cooperators and States, utilizing the full range of
    options and programs available.

e.  [Weed Free Forage]{.underline}: Utilized opportunities, in
    collaboration with States and others, to restrict the use of hay or
    other materials that may accidentally spread invasive species to
    national forests and grasslands.

f.  [Education About Invasives]{.underline}: Utilized USFS conservation
    education programs to increase public awareness and knowledge about
    the threat of invasive species and how the public can report
    suspected occurrences of new invasive species infestations.

g.  [Invasive Species Best Management Practices]{.underline}:
    Implemented invasive species best management practices for road
    maintenance and other land management activities on national
    forests. USFS plans to release a new video to train equipment
    operators in weed prevention work.

h.  [Contract Language on Invasives]{.underline}: Developed specific
    language to include in project contracts (such as timber sales, road
    management, facility construction, etc.) to include requirements to
    minimize invasive species infestations and spread on national
    forests and grasslands.

3\. Activities that are doing harm, and future agency actions to change
them so that they do not continue to do harm

a.  [Use of NEPA Categorical Exclusions for Invasives Work]{.underline}:
    National forest staff identified some administrative processes
    related to planning and NEPA requirements that can impede the
    agency's ability to rapidly and effectively respond to new priority
    infestations of invasive species impacting national forests. Efforts
    are underway to improve these processes by using NEPA Categorical
    Exclusions for rapid response to invasives.

b.  [Holistic Approach to Invasives]{.underline}: By implementing a
    holistic approach of invasive species management using the four
    program elements (Prevention, Early Detection and Rapid Response,
    Control and Management, and Restoration and Rehabilitation),
    national forests and grasslands will increase their ability to
    respond and manage invasive species impacting the natural resources.