No. 139, April 2004
ISSN 1175-9755
• PAM’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED
• FOREST CONDITION MONITORING
In 2002, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
launched a comprehensive programme targeting the
population of painted apple moth (Teia anartoides) which
had taken hold in western Auckland (FHNews 128:1-2). This
pest is considered to be a major threat to our urban treescapes
and gardens, and our native and plantation forests. There is
also a health risk, since the moth is covered in urticating
hairs that can cause an adverse reaction in some people.
Whereas MAF trapped 1784 moths in January 2002, only
48 moths were caught in January 2003. A single male moth
was found in Mount Eden in January 2004, but follow-up
surveys failed to disclose further signs of the moth.
On 25 February 2004, the New Zealand Forest Owners’
Association (NZFOA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry (MAF) held a forest health workshop in Rotorua.
Dave Lowry (Fletcher Challenge Forests), Simon Anderson
(Carter Holt Harvey Forests), Gordon Hosking (Hosking
Forestry), and Lindsay Bulman (Forest Research) made a
joint presentation on forest condition monitoring.
Painted apple moth
In February 2004 the Science and Technical Advisory Group
recommended that MAF could begin reducing aerial
treatments. As a result the aerial phase of the operation has
been systematically wound down over the last few months.
A Fokker Friendship aircraft was employed in the early phase
of the aerial treatments, but an air tractor and a helicopter
are now being used to finish off the programme. The last
aerial operation is scheduled for 11 May 2004, in the
Ranui - Swanson area, weather permitting.
The mathematical model being used by a scientist advising
MAF provides the painted apple moth team with a high level
of confidence that the battle against the moth is well on the
way to being won. However, MAF is taking no chances. If
any remnant moth colonies are discovered, targeted aerial
treatment and ground operations may be carried out to ensure
they are wiped out. Nor does the end of the aerial treatments
mean that the eradication programme is over. The vegetation
control zone will remain in place for 2 years (FHNews 128:1).
MAF is grateful that the public takes this aspect of the
programme seriously. Ground treatments, host removal, and
the release of sterile males to overwhelm any remnant
populations, will continue as they provide valuable backup
tools for the aerial operation.
The trapping programme, which is the main surveillance tool,
will be maintained until at least January 2006. The traps are
our eyes in the field and the best indicator of the existence
of any remnant moth colonies. Eradication will be declared
only after the area has remained free of painted apple moth
for 2 years after the last find. The team is confident that the
job is well on the way to completion.
(Ian Gear, MAF)
Dave and Simon spoke about the reasons for forest health
monitoring, national and international considerations, and a
proposal to the Forest Industry Framework Agreement
(FIFA) that seeks funding to design and implement an
integrated monitoring approach.
Gordon and Lindsay discussed their forest condition
monitoring procedures (the Viewpoint system sponsored by
CHH, and the Permanent Sample Plot method sponsored by
FCF and Forest Research). The Viewpoint system is based
on a stand-wide assessment of crown condition and specific
pests and diseases by observing the canopy, usually with the
aid of binoculars. The PSP procedure assesses crown
condition and two foliar diseases of individual trees in
established permanent sample plots. While the two systems
use very different techniques their characteristics are very
similar — both provide a quantified measure of crown
condition and pest status that can be used as an indicator of
tree health. The two procedures have been well tested in the
field and deliver precise and repeatable results.
Typical site view area using the Viewpoint method.
Gordon and Lindsay are confident that both methods can
work in tandem, using the detailed information from a small
number of trees obtained from the PSP assessments to
augment the information captured over a large area by the
Viewpoint system. They are planning assessor training
programmes for each system and now wait with anticipation
for the NZFOA to promote a forest condition monitoring
strategy that can be promulgated nation-wide.
(Lindsay Bulman, Forest Research,
and Gordon Hosking, Hosking Forestry)
Newsletter of the Forest Health Group, and the Forest Health Reference Laboratory (incorporating the Forest Research Mycological
Herbarium (NZFRI-M), the Forest Research Culture Collection (NZFS), and the National Forest Insect Collection (FRNZ).
Edited by Ian Hood, New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua. <ian.hood@forestresearch.co.nz> .
Web site < http://www.foresthealth.co.nz>
Forest Health News 139, April 2004
NEW FOREST HEALTH STAFF
Michelle Watson recently joined the Forest Health group
as an additional member of the gum leaf skeletoniser team
(Uraba lugens; FHNews 136: 1; 137: 1; 138:2). Prior to her
present position, Michelle was working as a laboratory and
field technician for the University of Tasmania in Hobart.
She completed an honours degree in Forest Ecology with
the university in 2000, undertaking her honours project
jointly with the CSIRO Cooperative Research Centre for
Forestry. In the project she looked at the environmental and
genetic factors controlling the size and density of Eucalyptus
globulus seed, and its relationship with germination and
seedling traits. Her results are directly applicable to the
collection and sorting of seed from seed orchards in order to
maximise germination success and synchrony for achieving
uniform seedlings. Michelle is an outdoor person, and
recently conducted field and laboratory work with Fire
Management, Forestry Tasmania, which included some
voluntary entomology. Her appointment at Forest Research
will allow her to utilise her skills in entomology, which marks
a return to an early childhood passion.
Pam Taylor joins Forest Health as Insect Quarantine
Manager, and in this capacity will be responsible for the
day-to-day running of the quarantine facility for the Forest
Health entomologists. Pam is a long-time resident of Rotorua,
and previously spent 12 years working her way up to
Supervisor in the Forest Research Nursery, where she was
responsible for the quality control of bare-rooted nursery
stock, and also undertook general maintenance and nursery
management. Before her present position she worked for
4 years with the somatic embryogenesis programme with
Carter Holt Harvey Forest Genetics, where she ran the media
laboratory, and also spent time in the molecular biology
laboratory. This experience will be valuable in her new
position, which includes the provision of technical assistance
to the DNA and molecular research being conducted within
the Forest Health programme.
NEW RECORDS
first reported from New Zealand in 1879. It is often a pest of
ornamentals, especially ferns and potted plants.
New host record for New Zealand – Fungus:
Pseudocercospora sawadae; Bioregion: Auckland; Host:
Tristaniopsis laurina; Coll: L Renney, 06/03/2004; Ident: J
Gardner, 15/03/2004; Comments: This species has previously
been recorded from Lophostemon confertus in New Zealand.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Uraba lugens
(Nolidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Quercus palustris; Coll:
C Inglis & L Renney, 10/03/2004; Ident: D Jones, 12/03/2004;
Comments: This is the second record from Quercus in New
Zealand. The tree was adjacent to some Eucalyptus spp.
New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Fairmaniella
leprosa; Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Eucalyptus punctata; Coll:
L Renney, 09/03/2004; Ident: K Dobbie, 17/03/2004;
Comments: This is a very common leaf spot fungus; it has
been recorded from over 30 eucalypt species.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Nambouria
xanthops (Pteromalidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host:
Eucalyptus aromaphloia; Coll: L Renney, 08/03/2004; Ident:
J Bain, 16/03/2004; Comments: This Australian species was
first found in New Zealand in 1999 and has been recorded from
about 10 species of Eucalyptus here. It is common on E. nicholii
and E. cinerea.
New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Bionectria
ochraleuca; Bioregion: Bay of Plenty; Host: Cupressus
lusitanica; Coll: C Kay, 17/02/2004; Ident: M Dick, 16/03/
2004; Comments: This species has been recorded from a wide
range of native and exotic hosts but is not known to be
pathogenic.
New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Placoasterella
baileyi; Bioregion: Bay of Plenty; Host: Grevillea banksii; Coll:
B Rogan, 18/03/2004; Ident: J Gardner, 19/03/2004;
Comments: This fungus causes leaf spots on a number of genera
in the Proteaceae but is most common on Hakea.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Eriococcus
coriaceus (Eriococcidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host:
Eucalyptus punctata; Coll: L Renney, 09/03/2004; Ident: D
Jones, 17/03/2004; Comments: This is a common scale insect
on Eucalyptus spp. It is an Australian species that was first
recorded in New Zealand in 1900. It is usually well controlled
by an introduced predator – Rhyzobius ventralis (Coccinellidae).
Extension to known distribution – Fungus: Pesotum pini;
Bioregion: Hawke’s Bay; Host: Pinus radiata; Coll: M Dick,
12/12/2003; Ident: Jae-Jin Kim (University of British
Columbia), 02/03/2004; Comments: This sapstain fungus has
previously been recorded from Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Gisborne,
and Wairarapa.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Acrocercops
laciniella (Gracillariidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host:
Eucalyptus punctata; Coll: L Renney, 09/03/2004; Ident: D
Jones, 17/03/2004; Comments: This Australian species was first
found in New Zealand in 1999. It has been recorded from a
wide range of Eucalyptus spp.
New host record for New Zealand – Alga: Cephaleuros
virescens; Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Callicoma serratifolia;
Coll: C Inglis, 04/03/2004; Ident: K Dobbie, 15/03/2004;
Comments: This is a common plant pathogen which causes
leaf spots and occasionally lesions on twigs and fruits on a wide
range of native and exotic hosts.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Uraba lugens
(Nolidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Eucalyptus tereticornis;
Coll: C Inglis, 25/03/2004; Ident: D Jones, 26/03/2004;
Comments: This species has now been recorded from about 30
species of eucalypts in New Zealand. There are also records
from Lophostemon confertus, Fraxinus excelsior, Metrosideros
excelsa, Quercus coccinea, and Q. palustris.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Phoracantha
semipunctata (Cerambycidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host:
Eucalyptus tereticornis; Coll: C Inglis, 01/03/2004; Ident: J
Bain, 11/03/2004; Comments: An Australian species first
recorded in New Zealand in 1873; recorded from a wide range
of Eucalyptus spp.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Uraba lugens
(Nolidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Eucalyptus melliodora;
Coll: C Inglis, 23/03/2004; Ident: D Jones, 26/03/2004;
Comments: See above.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Uraba lugens
(Nolidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Eucalyptus pulchella;
Coll: C Inglis, 15/03/2004; Ident: D Jones, 01/04/2004;
Comments: See above.
New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Saissetia coffeae
(Coccidae); Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Tristaniopsis laurina;
Coll: L Renney, 06/03/2004; Ident: D Jones, 10/03/2004;
Comments: This very polyphagous, tropicopolitan species was
(John Bain, Forest Research)
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