Published: November 16, 2006 08:49 am         

Garrett County commissioners discuss supplementing gypsy moth control

OAKLAND — With less than half a year before it is once again time to take preventative measures against gypsy moths, the Garrett County commissioners at their meeting Tuesday discussed the possibility of funding effective spraying.

“We need to get this in place because we’re only about five months, six at the most from spraying,” Ernie Gregg, commission chairman, said. “Not only the funding can be done, but the contractual arrangements with spraying agencies. I’m still concerned that we can do all this and effectively.”

Ann Sherrard, county extension director, met with the commissioners to discuss possible options and obstacles in funding the necessary spraying plan.

Sherrard said that she, along with Willie Lantz, Maryland Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources educator for Garrett County, met with the Maryland Department of Agriculture post in Cumberland and will be working with MDA to map and survey the county. She said that already they have aerial views of the defoliation, and that the necessary spraying area for next year could be somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 acres, with a cost of anywhere between $20 to $37 an acre, most likely around $25.

Sherrard added that there is still the possibilities of either a fungus or virus affecting the caterpillars, depending on weather conditions in the coming year, which would ease the need for spraying.

However, she added that MDA fears that despite the request for a 60 percent increase in funds, the amount received for the spraying could be less than in the past.

“It’s a very high probability they will be funded less at the federal level,” Sherrard said. She added with a cut at the national level, MDA may be looking for more at the local level, with the possibility of some lower- priority areas falling upon the land owners and the county splitting the cost.

Another concern for the county is that the priority is still placed on residential areas with three or more homes in a 25-acre block.

“We inquired about that because our friends from the forestry board were a little dismayed at their priorities,” Sherrard said. “They consider this a people problem. There are people with allergies and the droppings rain down on cars. They don’t view it as much of a forest problem as the forestry people would like it to be (viewed).”

The commissioners decided that they need to look into this at a local level, possibly working on finding ways for concerned landowners who are not in priority areas to still have their land sprayed if the landowner pays the cost of spraying.

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