Part 1: October 6th, 2022. Online via ZOOM

Part 2: October 27th, 2022. In Person Field Day (Register Here)

Southern pine beetle's (SPB) northward advance continues to be facilitated by climate change, suitable habitat, and abundance of pitch pine trees. This neo-native pest has had devastating impacts on the forests and urban environments of New Jersey and Long Island; resulting in mass mortality and hazard development. Pine Barren ecosystems are particularly at risk in areas where the beetle has not yet spread. However, there are many preventative management and operative planning actions which can be taken to prepare for SPB’s arrival and reduce its impact.

This two-part (online and field) workshop is intended for land managers in the Northeast to proactively learn about SPB prevention, early detection, coordinated response and suppression, from those who have been managing its presence on Long Island since it was first detected in 2014. Speakers will include land managers from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission (CPBC), and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL).

Part 1 on October 6th will be a virtual zoom workshop covering topics including, SPB natural history, signs and symptoms, determining forest susceptibility, preventative forest management, early detection and monitoring methods, suppression response, and funding opportunities for SPB management programs.

Part 2 on October 27th will include site visits demonstrating first-hand the impacts of and best management practices for SPB prevention and suppression.

Participants are welcome to attend one or both the workshops

Required for field day: Valid driver’s license/state ID or passport