Exotic Disease Management Case Study

Exotic disease management has changed over the past 100 years in the US in many ways. In 1904 an exotic blight was transported from Asia. The disease, known as the American Chestnut Blight, moved an average of fifty miles per year. Most of the spread was due to the lack of knowledge about tree disease and the spread. Loggers contributed to the spread by tracking mud on their shoes and tools through the woods. There were not any forms of disease prevention or management practices that helped reduce the spread. Many people also misjudged just how devastating the disease could be and thought after the trees died they would regrow. Forty years later the population of American Chestnut was wiped out. Today, the American Chestnut Foundation is also working with the U.S. Forest Service to introduce a cross species in the Blue Ridge
The current regulation of plant imports is outdated and needs to balance the impacts of pest damage, the expense of mitigation efforts, and the benefits of live plant importation. To inform these discussions, we document large increases in the volume and value of plant imports over the past five decades and explain recent and proposed changes to plant import regulations. Two data sources were used to estimate the infestation rate of regulated pests in live plant shipments entering the nation, thus allowing evaluation of the efficacy of the current port inspection process. Chalara dieback of ash is a serious disease of ash trees caused by a fungus called Chalara fraxinea (C. fraxinea). The disease causes leaf loss and crown dieback in affected trees, and it can lead to tree death. Visitors in parks are now reminded to clean their boots and equipment, and to wash their tires to minimize spread. Awareness and media exposure definitely contribute to the decrease in the spread of