Our Vermont Woods

The annual Vermont Forest Health Highlights for 2018 are now available.   View Report

A few highlights:

• Emerald ash borer (EAB) was detected in Vermont, and has now been found in five counties. Parts of three additional counties are also within the mapped area considered to be at risk. Any ash within the mapped area should be treated as if it may be attacked by EAB in planning for management, removal, or utilization. Infested area maps, recommendations for management and for slowing the spread of EAB, and links for reporting suspect trees are at vtinvasives.org.

• The area defoliated by forest tent caterpillar increased somewhat from 2017. Half of the mapped area was in Essex County. Sugar maple decline and mortality, incited by forest tent caterpillar defoliation, was mapped on over four thousand acres, with dry weather likely to have contributed to the decline. Moth trap counts fell sharply from 2017.

• Dry conditions over the past three years will continue to affect tree growth. Since the drought stimulated seed production, and seeds brought an eruption of squirrels, another outcome is likely to be squirrel damage to buds, shoots, and bark.

Once again, we appreciate the assistance received from the US Forest Service and other partner organizations, members of the public who send observations, and the many Forest Pest First Detectors, and other volunteers, who help with our programs.