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Development and Implementation of County-based Gypsy Moth Management and Education Programs
F. William Ravlin & Belinda
Carroll
Each district Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) director, in cooperation with the district program leader, local unit director, VCE Agriculture and Natural Resources agent, county gypsy moth program coordinator (if one exists), EC advisor, and the county/city council president should develop guidelines for local implementation of the gypsy moth management/education program agreement. These guidelines will reflect the commitments in the state memorandum or plans for achieving them.
Guidelines for organizational responsibilities for VCE and gypsy moth county-based programs were developed to 1) define each organization's role and 2) to provide a more complete understanding of the overall purpose, major responsibilities, and typical tasks involved in each organization's job. These guidelines should reduce role ambiguity. To ensure statewide consistency in gypsy moth program implementation, these responsibilities should remain as assigned and be a part of the unit guidelines for implementation of a program agreement.
Gypsy Moth Program Guidelines refer to Infestation Levels I, II, III, and VI. Each infestation level is defined below. If you cannot determine what Infestation Level your area is currently in please refer to the Infestation Map.
Infestation Level I
Definition. No gypsy moth males or single gypsy moth males captured in pheromone-baited traps. No other life-stages present. Three to ten years until the first sign of larvae.
Virginia Cooperative Extension Responsibilities (VCE)
VCE Objective. Introduce local government officials, the general public, property owners, and tree professionals to the gypsy moth problem in Virginia and the locality.
VCE Approach
- Introduce county administrators to the problem and keep them informed
at least on a yearly basis.
- Suggest directions for local government officials relative to future
involvement and activities.
- Prepare news releases on the status of gypsy moth in Virginia and its
proximity to the county.
- Provide publications relating to the history of the gypsy moth problem,
identification of life-stages, life history, habits, and potential impacts.
Suggested County Responsibilities
County Objective. Be aware that the gypsy moth will become an issue to be considered by county officials.
Suggested County Approach:
- Read all materials that pertain to the gypsy moth problem and that are provided by VCE and other state agencies.
Infestation Level II
Definition. Generally distributed gypsy moth males captured in pheromone-baited traps, no other life-stages present. One to three years until the first sign of larvae.
Virginia Cooperative Extension Responsibilities
VCE Objective. Provide local government officials, the general public, property owners, and tree professionals with an understanding of the gypsy moth, its identification, habits, and potential impact on the community. County residents should also become aware of potential control activities and impacts of these activities.
VCE Approach
- Organize a trip to defoliated areas. All county administrators should
attend.
- Assist county administrators with the development of a formal gypsy
moth management/education program.
- Develop a display featuring examples of the different gypsy moth life-stages,
maps of the distribution in Virginia, and general information on the problem.
- Prepare news releases on gypsy moth status, characteristics, impacts,
and short- and long-term prognoses.
- Provide publications relating to the history of the gypsy moth problem,
identification of life-stages, life history, habits, and potential impacts.
- VCE employees will not be responsible for gypsy moth control activities nor will they supervise these activities.
Suggested County Responsibilities
County Objective. Formalize a gypsy moth management program and develop a long-term plan for management/education.
Suggested County Approach:
- Develop a four-year plan for management/education with a comprehensive
budget. This plan should be developed along with the VCE plan of work.
- Develop an initial set of treatment priorities for areas that will be involved in control programs and obtain an estimate of the acreage involved in top priority areas. Each county should determine which lands will be managed prior to the county becoming generally infested (Infestation Level III).
Infestation Level III
Definition. Generally distributed gypsy moth males captured in pheromone-baited traps, eggs, larvae, pupae, or female moths present in low numbers. One to three years until a defoliation episode.
Virginia Cooperative Extension Responsibilities
VCE Objectives.
- Work with the gypsy moth program coordinator and county administration
to implement the gypsy moth management/education program developed during
Infestation Level II
- Give the gypsy moth coordinator the materials and guidance necessary
to provide local government officials, the general public, property owners,
and tree professionals with an understanding of the gypsy moth, its identification,
habits, and potential impact on the community.
VCE Approach:
- Provide publications relating to the history of the gypsy moth problem,
identification of life-stages, life history, habits, and potential impacts.
- Maintain an integrated approach between VCE and the gypsy moth management/education
program.
- VCE employees will not be responsible for gypsy moth control activities nor will they supervise these activities.
Suggested County Responsibilities
County Objective. Implement the gypsy moth management/education program developed during Infestation Level II.
Suggested County Approach
- Based on the management/education plan developed during Infestation
Level II, employ a gypsy moth program coordinator,
preferably during the defoliation period (May-June), who is not a VCE
employee. Refer to VCE Approach #3, Infestation Level
III.
- Shift gypsy moth program coordination to the newly hired coordinator.
The program coordinator will:
- Conduct programs to educate county residents about the gypsy moth
problem.
- Prepare news releases on gypsy moth status, characteristics, impacts,
and short- and long-term prognoses.
- Distribute publications relating to the history of the gypsy moth
problem, identification of life-stages, life history, habits, and potential
impacts.
- Organize a trip(s) to defoliated areas. All county administrators and the gypsy moth advisory committee (see below) should be involved in the trip.
- Under the direction of the program coordinator, form a county gypsy
moth advisory committee and continue discussions to strengthen the management/education
plan for the county. Members of the committee could include but would
not be limited to representation from: VCE, Virginia Department of Forestry,
U.S. Forest Service, local environmental groups, local property owners'
associations, boards of supervisors and vocational education groups.
- The program coordinator should become a member of the Association of
Virginia Gypsy Moth Managers (AVGMM). The county should provide funding
for membership and travel to AVGMM organizational events (workshops, meetings
and conferences).
- Provide resources to implement a management/education program. Resources
include computer hardware and software necessary for managing gypsy moth
data, producing reports, mapping, word processing, implementing spread
sheet applications, creating graphics and connecting to the Internet.
- The gypsy moth coordinator will maintain an integrated approach between
VCE and the gypsy moth management /education program.
- Interact with VDACS on a cooperative suppression/eradication program.
- Finalize the first management/ education plan with the gypsy moth advisory
committee and present it to county administrators.
- Finalize treatment priorities for areas that will be involved in control
programs and obtain an estimate of the acreage involved in top priority
areas.
- Annually update the four-year plan for management/education with budget. Compare the update with VCE plan of work.
Infestation Level IV
Definition. Eggs, larvae, pupae, and female moths present with some areas experiencing defoliation. Defoliation is possible relative to population levels.
Virginia Cooperative Extension Responsibilities
VCE Objective. Provide resources for property owners, tree and grounds professionals, and municipal or county specialists to increase knowledge and competence in implementing integrated pest management programs for the gypsy moth and other destructive tree pests.
VCE Approach:
- Develop educational materials for homeowners, landowners, arborists,
etc.
- Serve as a principal source for technical information for the gypsy
moth program coordinator.
Maintain ties with the gypsy moth management portion of the county program.
- Annually update state-wide "picture" of the gypsy moth in
Virginia.
- VCE employees will not be responsible for gypsy moth control activities nor will they supervise these activities.
Suggested County Responsibilities
County Objective. Protect or reduce damage to valuable tree resources, prevent serious nuisance, and maintain environmental quality in the presence of the gypsy moth and other pests.
Suggested County Approach:
- Interact with VDACS on a cooperative suppression program.
- Revise management/education plan with the VCE, the gypsy moth advisory
committee, and county administration. Additional staffing may be required
to achieve the program objectives.
- Update priorities for areas that will be involved in control programs
and annually obtain an estimate of the acreage involved in top priority
areas.
- Annually update the four-year plan for management/education with budget.
- Seek common ground among several county programs to share land-use and
natural resource data (e.g., tax mapping, soils, land-use).
- The program coordinator will:
- Distribute educational materials for homeowners, landowners, arborists,etc.
- Provide information and educational programs for property owners and
the general public as requested.
- Provide technical expertise on gypsy moth at the local level.
