JOANNA LAVOIE / 08/12/05 00:00:00 / Inside Toronto.ca Network
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and its many partners have stepped up the battle to eradicate the Asian long-horned beetle in northwest Toronto and York Region.
Yesterday, Howard Stanley, CFIA's beetle project officer announced last year's plan to remove all host trees with evident signs of infestation has now been expanded to include the removal of all potential host trees within 400 metres of an infested tree.
"We've made a change to remove all infested and susceptible trees within 400 metres of a host tree," said Stanley, noting the damaging forest pests have been found to burrow themselves deeply within Manitoba maple, birch, elm, hackberry, horse chestnut, mountain ash, poplar, sycamore, willow and silk trees.
The adult beetles then lay eggs, which grow into larvae and eventually exit the trees as beetles.
"This change will increase the effectiveness of the Asian long-horned beetle program."
Most recently, four new sites, three in Vaughan and one near the Jane-Finch corridor have been found to have Asian long-horned Beetle infestations.
Tree removal is set to begin Aug. 22 and is expected to last about six weeks. Property owners found to have infected trees on their lots will receive a "notice to dispose" prior to trees being removed.
Since Sept. 2003, 16,000 trees have been removed in the initiative and with the new steps, the CFIA said another 7,000 would be cut down by year's end.
"In this case removal is necessary to protect our urban and natural forests," added Stanley who asked the public to report any sightings of the large black-coloured beetle with white spots and any noticeable tree damage.
The beetles typically create dime-sized exit holes usually accompanied by coarse sawdust and small damaged areas on bark where the bugs lay eggs.
In April, the CFIA also discovered a small infestation in a residential area near Hwys. 400 and 407.
Richard Ubbens, the city's director of urban forestry, reports Thistletown, near Islington and Steeles avenues, seems to be free of the destructive pest for the time being.
"So far we haven't seen anything else there," said Ubbens, adding crews are still out surveying parts of northwest Toronto and York Region.
"Egg-laying sites can be extremely difficult to find. They can be the size of a fingernail impression on bark."
Toronto's urban forestry department has budgeted nearly $3 million of its $17.5 million operating budget to combat the problem.
"It represents a very significant percentage of our operation," added Ubbens.
For now, forestry teams will continue to inspect a 55-kilometre regulated area imposed by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, which spans from Rutherford Road to Hwy. 401, Dufferin Street to Hwy. 27.
The order also forbids people from removing trees, logs, bark, wood chips from identified host trees and all firewood in the restricted area.
The CFIA hopes the problem will be eliminated within a few years and suspects the most recent beetle discoveries are remnants from 2003's infestation, not new cases.
"Eradication is still possible and it is our goal," said Stanley, noting landowners can apply for $300 to replace a felled tree on their property.
"Losing trees is not easy for any of us but it is the only means of stopping the spread."
The CFIA also intends to hold public information sessions about the ALHB in the weeks to come.
For more visit www.inspection.gc.ca or call 416-665-5055.
