Published: August 08, 2007 11:56 am      

Gypsy moths consume more than foliage

OAKLAND - With more than 45,000 acres of defoliation in Garrett County from gypsy moths, the county commissioners, along with various agencies involved, are trying to work out the best option to prevent such a loss next spring.

"If we're already through our second year in defoliation, something's got to work," said Commissioner Denny Glotfelty. "We've got to do something about this situation or we won't have any trees left."

At the commissioners meeting Tuesday, Bob Tich-enor, chief of forest pest management at MDA, said prevention efforts faced many problems his year, including a longer window of egg hatch, which allowed new caterpillars to feed on areas that had been sprayed after the pesticide had worn off.

This has caused nearly 16 percent of the area sprayed this year in the county to become defoliated. In previous years, it has only been 2 percent, and the average statewide was 10 percent.

Conditions for such defoliation, Tichenor explained, started early, when the caterpillars began hatching in some areas in early spring when the leaves were first appearing on the trees. He said that Garrett County is in better shape for refoliation, as the county received rain that the eastern part of Maryland has not.

There was discussion at the meeting about trying different methods, as well as what kind of harm other pesticides beside the more commonly used Bt would cause to local animals and whether such side effects would be worse than if such defoliation continued in an increasing pattern.

Willie Lantz, Maryland Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources educator for Garrett County, pointed out that the biggest issue might not be even the amount of spraying to be done next year, but how to do it strategically.

"When you look at the map (of defoliation), you see what we definitely have to protect next year," Lantz said, "but other areas are now reporting lots of caterpillars and egg masses out there."

What still remains the biggest concern is the issue of funding such efforts next year. With a massive deficit facing Maryland this coming year, the funding from the state, Tichenor said, might take a severe cut.

Already, in an effort to demonstrate the devastation the caterpillars have done on the county's forests and the effects that might come from it, the Garrett County Forestry Board and the Cooperative Extension Office have worked to put together a presentation that was sent to politicians representing the county on all levels.

One such effect that many present felt was worth emphasizing was that on the timber industry. According to Sherry Frick, extension office program assistant, $1 million to $2 million of damage has been done to the supply of available timber at Savage River Forest, and if this continues, it could total as much as $34 million as years pass if the pattern continues.

At this point, the commissioners said they are going to look into options, possibly even one proposed that they request the county to be determined a disaster area by the governor.

"We are all aware of the problems," said Ernie Gregg, commission chairman, "and as I said earlier, we're looking for a solution. The primary one is financial, and we will continue to lobby and work on that."

Sarah Moses can be reached at smoses@times-news.com.